The Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) is set to launch monthly clean-up exercises as it steps up efforts to rid the city of garbage.
NMS Director-General Mohammed Badi said the move is part of a new “do it ourselves initiative’’ that his administration has adopted where residents, corporates and government agencies will help in keeping their environment clean.
The solid waste cleanup exercise will be carried across all the 17 sub-Counties in Nairobi every month.
Maj-Gen Badi pointed out that Nairobi County, with a population standing at approximately 5 million people, generates a daily solid waste of 3,000 tons having increased from 2,500 tons every day.
However, they are only able to collect an average of 2,500 tons every day, up from the initial 1,000 tons per day that City Hall used to collect.
"The Nairobi Metropolitan Services is at the moment making strides in ensuring that daily waste collection is sustained. We shall be launching monthly clean up exercises which will be happening in all sub counties to ensure we have a clean and healthy environment," Gen Badi said on Friday during Ngong River cleanup exercise.
Governor Mike Sonko's administration used to carry out monthly solid waste cleanup exercises every Saturday of each month under "Ng'arisha Jiji" programme but the exercise has been inconsistent since the arrest of the governor in December 2019.
Gen Badi added that further to the monthly cleanup exercise, NMS is set to establish waste recovery facilities across the 17 sub-Counties in the capital revealing that his administration, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, have begun the implementation of the Nairobi Sustainable Solid Waste Management Action Plan.
The plan, which will ensures waste is managed through a ‘Circular Economy Model’, encourages segregation of waste and promotes material recovery of various waste streams.
This, he explained, is geared at ensuring that the image of the capital city reflects the stature that befits international recognition since Nairobi plays an important role as a business hub in the region and as the headquarter of many international organisations.
The facilities will support separation of wastes reducing open dumping of waste thus stopping pollution of the environment as well as boost recycling market in Nairobi.
This will also control illegal dumping, create jobs and income for youths from the recyclable materials and in the long run ensure the environment and river ecosystem is clean and safe.
"Other measures in the pipeline include separation of waste at the household level by ensuring Nairobians become responsible for the waste they generate," he said.
To manage the waste generated in the city, the NMS boss said his administration has reactivated garbage collection trucks which had been grounded to increase its fleet to ensure waste collection is enhanced and sustained.
He further stated that they have engaged the National Youth Service (NYS) in provision of solid waste collection trucks and machinery which have been facilitating waste collection throughout the city.
Gen Badi pointed out that NMS has embarked on installation of sewerage system in Mukuru slums as part of upgrade of informal settlements in Nairobi with the aim of improving sanitation in the informal settlements and hence reducing pollution of the Ngong River which passes through the settlements.
He said that overtime, rivers in urban areas have been polluted by both solid and liquid waste which is a by-product of "our diverse day to day activities".
"In order to ensure we clean and rehabilitate the fragile river ecosystem in our City, NMS is supporting the ongoing ‘Kazi Mtaani’ initiative, which include; among other activities, cleaning sections of Nairobi and Ngong Rivers," said Gen Badi.
"We trust that our efforts will see this river fully restored with notable improvement in the quality of water flowing in this river," he added.
