• Malindi declared the cleanest town in Kenya, the year 2001
• Strategy is to make Malindi a blue and green city
Image: ALPHONSE GARI
Malindi Business Community and residents have launched an aggressive garbage clean up exercise to revive the lost glory of the resort town.
The initiative is aimed at positioning the resort town as a blue and green town to exploit the blue economy in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable way.
Hundreds of business people, tourism stakeholders, county government officials and local residents turned up for the first major cleanup on Saturday from Malindi airport to the central business district and the Baobab beach area. They were collecting all kinds of wastes including bottles, plastics and polythene is removed.
The community has also began a beautification programme in the town by planting flowers and trees to ensure the town is green.
The cleanup received a major boost after top government officials including Principal Secretary State Department for Housing andUrban Development Charles Hinga and Secretary to the President delivery Unit Andrew Wakahiu hailed the Malindi community for initiating the clean up to make the town clean.
Shops were closed for nearly three hours to participate in the cleanup and sensitize locals on the importance of maintaining cleanliness.
Philemon Mwavalla a popular tourism investor in Malindi who is part of the organizing committee for the cleanup said their aim is to ensure the town regains its lost glory.
Speaking at Cleopatra grounds, he said the support they had received in moving towards a green city of Malindi is commendable.
“Our strategy in collaboration with the county government is to get Malindi a green city and we believe this is achievable we want to draw awareness to community members on how to dump garbage.’’
The cleanup exercise will be held every second day of the month. Cate Mwikali, chairperson of Malindi Community Steering Committee said the aim was to ensure community are sensitized on the importance of keeping environment clean by organizing the garbage collection exercise.
“We want to position Malindi as a green city to exploit the blue economy in a social and environmentally sustainable manner."
Sabina Vivaldi, an Italian investor, said their aim was to see Malindi becoming cleaner.
“The Malindi community today is really encouraging us, the first stone has been put in and this stone can become a big pillar where we are able to grow our mentality from the schools to everybody to keep clean the planet ,’’ he said.
Vivaldi said the move will attract many tourists who are expected to come in large numbers from August this year during the tourism season.
Freddie De Curatolo the spokesman of the Italian Community said the Italians were supporting the initiative and would continue sponsoring the clean up to make Malindi become the greener city.
Mariam Jenebi the Chief Officer for Environment in Kilifi County said the cleanup was aimed at sensitizing locals to know garbage collection was responsibility of every citizen.
She said their aim is to ensure all garbage collection points are cleaned daily so as to reclaim the beauty of Malindi witnessed in the 1990s.
In 2001 Malindi was declared the cleanest town in Kenya while in 2003 the town was a runner up.
In 2004 the town represented Kenya at the UN Habitat World urban forum in Barcelona Spain and the same year it received a golf award from Total oil Kenya eco-challenge.