Nairobi unveils citywide clean-up plan as push for circular economy gains momentum

Nairobi County on Sunday night launched its first large-scale, coordinated clean-up exercise of the year, signalling the start of an intensified push to modernise waste collection and disposal across the capital.

Maureen Njeri, the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Green Nairobi, said the initiative goes beyond the routine daily clean-ups carried out by the county’s more than 4,000-strong “Green Army,” marking the beginning of a broader transformation in how the city handles waste.

“Today we are conducting our first major clean-up this year, in addition to the usual daily exercises we undertake in a coordinated manner with our Green Army. This marks the beginning of a journey to place greater focus on cleaning, waste collection and disposal. We will be undertaking such monthly clean-ups in sub-counties and wards to ensure residents and stakeholders are involved, in order to inculcate responsibility for environmental protection. City residents are therefore urged to join these clean-ups in their neighbourhoods,” Njeri said.

She added that in the coming weeks, the county would upscale its waste management operations by establishing an integrated solid waste management system for the City of Nairobi.

“This system will ensure that all waste generated is collected and evacuated more efficiently and in a timely manner. We will have material recovery stations that will enhance the circular economy in waste management. This will ensure we recover and make better use of the over three tonnes of garbage collected daily.

"The system will incorporate all stakeholders and partners across the entire waste management value chain to ensure its successful implementation. In partnership with the national government, we expect to repurpose this waste into a variety of useful products,” she said.

Nairobi Central MCA Mwaniki Kwenya emphasised the importance of public participation, noting that sustainable cleanliness requires collective effort from residents and businesses alike.

“Our main agenda today is to sensitise the public that cleanliness is a shared responsibility. We must all play our part by keeping our workspaces and walkways clean, and by disposing of waste properly,” he said.

The clean-up campaign comes a day after President William Ruto and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja announced that the tender for the city’s integrated garbage management programme had been finalised, with implementation set to begin on April 1.

According to the President, the new integrated system will be introduced in phases, with full-scale production of fertiliser and electricity expected to commence next year once the contracted company completes its operational arrangements.

Governor Sakaja said the new plan was developed jointly with the national government to address Nairobi’s mounting waste challenge, particularly in busy markets where garbage often accumulates within hours.

“We have worked with the President and figured out how to deal with garbage in Nairobi. Every day the city produces huge amounts of waste, and in markets you can see garbage piling up after just a few hours. We have now awarded a tender, and in a few weeks we will be ready to roll out a well-coordinated system to ensure garbage is collected efficiently and transported to Dandora,” the Governor said.

The initiative is expected to form part of a long-term strategy to transform Nairobi’s waste from an environmental burden into an economic and energy resource, while improving overall urban cleanliness.