The dumpsite was declared full in 2001 but garbage continues to be dumped at the landfill
City Hall is planning to spend Sh10 million to build five new roads to improve accessibility to the Dandora dumpsite.
The move is aimed at boosting the capacity of trucks collecting garbage from the estates by reducing the time they take to dump the waste in Dandora.
City Hall believes the move will improve access to the dumpsite by 25 per cent.
Environment executive Vesca Kangogo on Monday said the access roads will create more accessibility in and out of the dumpsite.
"We want to open up more access to the dumpsite which in turn will reduce the time taken by trucks to dump the waste. These access roads will be at strategic positions in different parts of the dumpsite," Kangogo said.
The garbage trucks often line up along John Osogo Road, the main road to the dumpsite, with each waiting for its turn to dump garbage.
Kangogo said more access roads will enable the trucks to increase the number of trips they make to and from the dumpsite.
Currently, there are only two official entrances at the dumspite. The entrances are controlled by county officials based at the weighbridge.
Despite being declared full in 2001, waste continues to be dumped at the Dandora dumpsite.
City Hall also wants to put up an extra weighbridge at a cost of Sh40 million. The weighbridge will be used to capture the exact tonnage delivered by the trucks.
The proposals are contained in the annual development plan for the financial year 2020-21 which were submitted to the county assembly's committee on environment.
However, MCAs have already questioned the county's capability to improve roads near the dumpsite.
Embakasi MCA Michael Ogada said it was ironical that the county government was asking for money to build roads around the dumpsite yet it has said it was not capable of doing road works.
"These people (executive) have for close to 15 years failed to improve John Osogo Road which is the main road leading to the dumpsite. They are now proposing to build five new access roads around the dumpsite. If they failed on only one road , will they manage doing five?" Ogada said.
John Osogo Road is not fully tarmacked, making it difficult for trucks to enter the dumpsite, especially during the rainy season.
Dandora 4 MCA Francis Otieno on Monday said there was no contractor on site.
"When I came into office, the status of John Osogo Road was substandard and after following up, some 100 metres was done. As we speak the road is in a mess," Otieno said.
He said the contractor was paid up to 70 per cent in the last financial year but he has not been on site for almost eight months.
Millions of shillings have previously been allocated for the improvement of John Osogo Road and six other access roads.
However, no much has been done.
In July 2015, then environment chief officer Leah Oyake told MCAs that the entrance to the dumpsite was damaged by rains, something that slowed down the movement of garbage trucks.
She said most trucks often break down at the dilapidated stretch. As such, City Hall in January 2016 set aside Sh220 million to repair access roads to the dumpsite.
It was mentioned that John Osogo and Muigai Kenyatta roads were destroyed by El NiƱo rains, blocking access to the landfill.
John Osogo Road was allocated Sh180 million while Muigai Kenyatta was to be repaired at a cost of Sh40 million.
edited by p. obuya