- The commission, whose role is to coordinate other state agencies and stakeholders in the cleanup, says the task ahead is huge
- It says there is a need to initiate a monthly national clean-up day
Image: FILE
The Nairobi River Commission has raised concerns over continous dumping of waste into Nairobi River.
Commission CEO Brigadier Joseph Muracia said a truck driver, was recently arrested by county officials for dumping waste into the river.
“We are trying to see the best way to address this challenge,” Muracia said in a phone interview.
The Star could not immediately establish if the truck driver was still in the county's custody.
The arrest comes just after the commission started the clean-up exercise.
The exercise's thematic focus areas include, catchment protection and restoration, mapping and reclamation of riparian land, waste to rivers, drainage and hydrology.
Muracia said they have also developed a concept of operation.
The commission, whose role is to coordinate other state agencies and stakeholders in the clean-up, says the task ahead is huge and requires a lot of planning.
It says there is a need to initiate a monthly national clean-up day.
The Environmental Management and Coordination Act prohibits the discharge of hazardous wastes, materials, chemicals and radioactive substances.
Those culpable shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine of not less than Sh1 million or imprisonment for a term of not less than two years or both.
"Any person who discharges dangerous materials, substances, oil or oil mixtures into land, water, air, or aquatic environment contrary to the provisions of the Act commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding Sh500,000," the Act says.
The court may direct polluters to pay the full cost of cleaning up the polluted environment.
The court may also order that the substance, motor vehicle, equipment and appliance that were used to pollute the environment be forfeited to the state.
The commission needs approximately Sh22 billion to immediately address solid waste, sewerage and industrial waste challenges.
This is in addition to developing the necessary infrastructure and address catchment protection and riparian mapping.
In Nairobi, more than Sh900 million is needed to tackle solid waste; Kiambu (Sh486 million), Kajiado (Sh516 million), Machakos (Sh647 million) and Makueni (Sh433 million).
This brings the total amount of solid waste management to more than Sh3 billion.
To address sewerage in Nairobi, Sh964 million is needed; Kiambu (Sh2 billion), Kajiado (Sh725 million), Machakos (Sh304 million) and Makueni (Sh450 million) all amounting to more than Sh4 billion.
The total amount needed for solid waste and sewerage management in the five counties is slightly more than Sh7 billion.
The action plan also shows that geo-spatial-riparian mapping needs Sh62 million, drainage and hydrology need Sh3 billion, catchment protection and restoration need Sh9 billion and industrial and institutional waste management need Sh11 million.
Other resources needed include commutation and community engagement (Sh30 million), employment of at least 1,000 youth (Sh45 million), a joint multi-agency operations centre (Sh20 million) and multi-agency or stakeholder situational analysis (Sh30 million).
The major actors in the cleanup include the national government and the county governments of Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado, Machakos and Makueni.
Others are ministries of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation; the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Land, Interior and Defense.
The State Department of Devolution, the Water Resource Authority, NYS, AWWDA, Nema, Kenha, Kura, Kerra, NWHSA, county water utility companies and the National Disaster Operations Centre are also actors.
The commission is also in the process of setting up a joint multi-agency operations centre.
As part of the plan to tackle sewerage spillage into the river, it is also in the process of establishing a Nairobi River Commission Rapid Response team within water utility companies.
The Commission is also closely working with river-line communities and stakeholders as the first-line soldiers of the operation.
In the first one to eight months, the commission, in its action plan, will enhance community sensitisation and education, collect garbage in informal settlements and stop further solid waste dumping.
It will also address sewerage, industrial and institutional waste in river basins and surrounding areas.
River clean-up campaigns to address solid waste pollution, waste recycling, and training will also be conducted.
In eight to 24 months, the commission plans to identify and rehabilitate faulty sewer lines and expand the sewer network to increase handling capacity, among other initiatives.