The Murang’a government will not participate in the planning of the proposed Mitubiri Sanitary Landfill project that has caused an uproar among residents.
Health executive Joseph Mbai yesterday said the Nairobi Metropolitan Development team only involved the county government after it raised queries on the project.
Residents have voiced concerns that the project will turn Murang’a into a dumpsite for the Nairobi Metropolitan Development counties – Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado, Murang’a and Narok. Residents took to social media to express their fears that the landfill could endanger the lives of those living near the proposed site.
Waste from the five counties would be sorted at the landfill and biodegradable garbage be buried at the site. But residents say this might pollute groundwater.
EIA report
Mbai said the Nairobi Metropolitan Development team did not conduct sufficient public participation and most leaders were left out.
“They say they conducted public participation. They must have invited very few people. Even the county government was not involved,” he said. Too little is known about the project, which is to be set up in Maragua subcounty, Mbai told the Star.
He said the county government is waiting for the environmental impact assessment report by the National Environment Management Authority to help it make an informed decision.
“We know they did the report last year, but have not made it public for scrutiny,” Mbai said. It is only after studying the report that the county will decide whether the project is suitable, he said.
no approval
Mbai called for fresh public participation so residents can fully understand the project’s implications. “I also want them to disclose who in Murang’a approved the project, as the county government was not involved,” he said.
Talks are being held between the county and the Nairobi Metropolitan Development team to ensure all issues are disclosed. Environment executive Cecilia Kibe said the county will visit the site.
Nema county director Ezra Ng’ang’a said the landfill has not been approved. He urged residents to turn out in large numbers when they are invited to public participation forums to raise their grievances before the final decision is made.
“After reviewing the first project report, we found it had a lot of issues and recommended a more intensive study with more public participation that should be advertised and that is yet to be done,” he said.