Meru Youth Service recruits participate in a clean-up exercise in the Imenti Forest on May 29, 2026.
Recently, the Imenti forest has been at the centre of a controversy over the excision of more than 100 acres of land for the construction of a state lodge, airstrip and golf course.
But away from the simmering public dispute, the forest has been choking under mounds of soiled diapers that pose a risk and a health hazard to the ecosystem.
Mr Anthony Kinyua, a businessman in Meru, has been a fan of nature walks in Imenti forest to unwind from the hustle and bustle of town - but not anymore.
Located within the Meru municipality, Imenti forest has been a favourite destination for many urban dwellers seeking to reconnect with nature and enjoy the serenity of the dense indigenous trees' canopy and a breath of fresh air.
In fact, to enhance this experience, the Meru County government and the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) have been developing an Arboretum and picnic site for aesthetic and educational purposes.
A cleared section of Imenti forest in Meru County where construction work is ongoing for the proposed construction of an airstrip.
However, Mr Kinyua says the therapeutic experience has been ruined by the rampant disposal of soiled baby diapers by unscrupulous residents and waste handlers.
“One day, as we were strolling near Nkunga crater lake enjoying ourselves, we were hit by a nauseating stench. A swarm of flies stopped us on our tracks only to discover it was a heap of diapers dumped in the forest. The memory of this site keeps me away from the nature walks I cherished,” Mr Kinyua says.
With the Meru-Nanyuki and Kirachene-Mailikumi roads cutting through the Imenti forest, it has become easier for people in vehicles and motorbikes to dump waste.
A spot-check on sections of the forest close to the two roads established many diaper disposal sites, with some located up to 100 metres inside the forest.
Meru Forest Environmental Conservation and Protection (MEFECAP) Secretary Dorothy Naitore carries a sack of soiled diapers dumped in Imenti forest.
During a pre-World Environment Day clean-up drive led by the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) and Meru Youth Service, a truckload of soiled diapers was collected within a one-kilometre stretch in Imenti forest.
Meru County Nema coordinator Jessica Kahura expressed concern over the rising improper disposal of soiled diapers in the region.
“The bulk of the waste collected in the forest was diapers. It is heartbreaking that residents who can afford diapers are not concerned about disposal. It is unfortunate that residents of Meru have chosen the forest to dump the diapers,” Ms Kahura said.
According to Meru Forest, Environment Conservation and Protection Association (MEFECAP) secretary Dorothy Naitore, the dumping of soiled diapers in the forest has intensified over the last two years.
“From our observation, there are people who package the diapers and intentionally dump them in the forest. This is because we find most of the diapers in sacks and bags. This is dangerous because Imenti forest hosts elephants and monkeys besides being a source of many rivers and streams,” Ms Naitore said.
She said there was an urgent action from the county government and other stakeholders to address the management of soiled baby diapers in the towns.
Public health officials have also expressed concern over possible contamination of water with faecal matter, affecting the safety of drinking water.
According to the National Guidance for Plastic Pollution, Hotspotting and Shaping Action Report, 2020 by UNEP, all disposable diapers used in Kenya are improperly disposed of or remain uncollected.
The report indicated that about 2,000 tonnes of plastics from disposable diapers found their way into rivers and oceans ranking high alongside plastic bottles and packaging materials.
Disposable diaper plastics are said to last up to 500 years, causing long-term environmental harm.
A section of Imenti forest at Nkunga. Residents, conservationists and politicians are protesting plans to excise up to 100 acres of forest land for construction of a State Lodge, airstrip and Golf Course.
Last year, Meru, Embu and Tharaka-Nithi entered a partnership to establish a joint waste management and processing facility to resolve the challenges facing the counties.
The three counties produce more than 1350 tonnes of organic and inorganic waste, posing challenges to each of the devolved units.
Governors Muthomi Njuki (Tharaka-Nithi), Cecily Mbarire (Embu) and Isaac Mutuma (Meru) signed a Memorandum of Understanding setting out the framework for rolling out the ambitious project.
The three counties are riding on interest from Ghanaian investor Jospong Group of Companies, which deals in waste management technologies.
"By uniting as Tharaka Nithi, Embu, and Meru, we are creating the economies of scale necessary for a modern, integrated waste management system. This unified approach will allow us to share infrastructure, reduce operational costs, and implement comprehensive solutions that would be financially unviable for any single county. Our vision is to transition to a circular economy where waste becomes a valuable resource," Mr Njuki said.
Through the initiative, the counties intend to bring an end to the use of dumpsites, which are a health hazard to people, animals and underground water.
Meru governor Isaac Mutuma said the three counties will also establish material recovery facilities, waste processing plants, and implement modern collection and transportation systems that meet international standards.
Kenya Forest Service rangers guard the entrance to lower Imenti Forest near Kithoka Primary School on June 11, 2026.
"As counties, we have been grappling with management of solid waste in our towns. Currently, waste is seen as a menace to our people and the environment. However, we want to redefine waste as a resource. This will create green jobs for our youth and make products for propelling our economies," Mr Mutuma said.
The initiative will be spearheaded by an autonomous agency dubbed Mt Kenya East Development Authority, targeting to convert waste into organic fertiliser, plastic pellets and power generation.
On Monday, environmental lobby Rhino Ark delved into the debate, objecting to the ongoing construction of an airstrip within the Upper Imenti Forest.
The lobby wants the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to immediately suspend all works pending compliance with Kenya’s environmental laws and constitutional requirements.
“The airstrip is being constructed within a protected forest landscape that forms part of the Mt. Kenya forest ecosystem, which was further gazetted as a National Reserve to ensure maximum protection of its ecological, biodiversity and water catchment values.
Meru Youth Service recruits participate in a clean-up exercise in the Imenti Forest on May 29, 2026.
“We cannot trade one of Kenya’s water towers for short-term convenience. Upper Imenti is protected for a reason: it feeds the Tana and Ewaso Nyiro rivers, shelters elephants, and holds many plant species found nowhere else on Earth. No ESIA, no public participation, no licence means no construction. NEMA must halt works now,” said Christian Lambrechts, Executive Director of Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust
Mr Lambrechts said there is an existing Gaitu airstrip located 14 kilometres to the southeast of Meru Town.
“We are proposing that Gaitu Airstrip be upgraded, instead of building a second airstrip in the upper Imenti Forest. This will be more cost-effective and have no or far less negative environmental impacts,” he said.
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