The Nairobi County government has warned all motorists and passengers against dumping garbage from cars along the city's road reserves.
In a statement on Monday, June 23, Nairobi County Chief Environment Officer for Environment Geoffrey Mosiria said that people should refrain from this habit and utilise the dustbins that have been erected in different locations within the city.
According to Mosiria, reckless dumping of waste has led to an unsightly environment in addition to blocking drainage systems within the city, which in turn leads to recurrent flooding.
Mosiria stressed the need for each resident to take personal initiative in the effective management of waste, rather than depending on the government to handle the waste crisis.
"And I'm calling upon the city residents to take responsibility for their city by making sure that they keep it clean, because it is a collective responsibility and not an individual responsibility. We, as the county government, are committed to making sure that the city is clean," Mosiria said.
"Stop illegal dumping. Do not throw garbage from your cars or matatus along road reserves, where it ends up in rivers and clogs our drainage systems," he added.
Additionally, city residents have been urged to refrain from handing household waste to unauthorised persons, who, he notes, have contributed significantly to the worsening garbage situation in the city, and instead take it to designated county-designated transfer points or licensed waste collectors.
Mosiria, who stressed the need for the country to leverage advanced waste management techniques used by other East African Counties such as Rwanda, asserted that the county has intensified its efforts to clean the city by deploying technologically advanced machines, such as street sweepers and refuse compactors, that will be cleaning the streets during the night.
Keeping the city clean will be pivotal in restoring its environmental ambience as well as guaranteeing the well-being of the city residents, according to Mosiria.
"Rwandans do not dump garbage along road reserves like we often do. They do not blame the government for everything; they understand they are the government. They value and protect their country," he said.
This comes days after he launched a crackdown on Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) and private waste collection service providers who are dumping waste at unlawful sites. Mosiria threatened to revoke the licenses of the individuals.
In a statement on Saturday, June 21, Mosiria said his department will also identify and shut down unlawful dumping sites in the city.
"This reckless behaviour is a major contributor to the pollution affecting our environment and public health. Any CBO or private operator found dumping at unauthorised sites will have their licenses revoked without further notice," he stated.
