City team starts clearing garbage in Embakasi South

The Nairobi Metropolitan Service has started a massive garbage collection exercise in Embakasi South sub-county. 

At least six trucks have been deployed in the exercise which started on Tuesday night. The job is being coordinated by sub-county and ward administrators in consultation with the respective MCAs. 

Residents have been pointing an accusing finger at the county government for the menace City Hall has been grappling with. 

Last week, President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed Major General Mohamed Badi as director-general of the Nairobi Metropolitan Service that was directed to clear the garbage within 100 days.

The team was also directed to repair some of the grounded garbage collection trucks. Only 10 out of the county's 60 trucks are functional.  

Kware residents in Embakasi South have been complaining of garbage that had been piling up for weeks, raising health and environmental concerns.  

The county had said the contractor – Flexilease Limited – has pledged to clear the garbage.

Environment executive Larry Wambua on Wednesday said the contractor has already fully covered eight sub-counties.

"We are moving very fast due to time constraints. Our teams are in Makadara, Roysambu, Makongeni, Kawangware and other places. We believe by end of next week we shall have covered 12 sub-counties," Wambua said. 

Wambua said the collection will be done twice a week at every dumping site.

"The plan is to have the trucks go round especially in the informal settlements."

However, ongoing road works in some of the areas have made accessibility a challenge.

Last month, the county entered into an agreement with the National Youth Service on garbage collection. The exercise is yet to start due to logistical issues.

NYS was expected to collaborate with enforcement teams in enforcing regulations on illegal dumping within estates. 

The NYS was two weeks ago expected to start clearing heaps of garbage scattered in the county's CBD and its markets.

Trash had accumulated in almost every part of the city after more than 50 contractors either downed their tools or reduced their fleet, citing non-payment of dues running into millions of shillings. 

The NYS was also expected to deploy more than 30 trucks to ferry the trash to Dandora dumpsite.

More than 80 per cent of the solid waste generated in the city is collected by private firms contracted by the county.

The contractors have their specific areas of operations. However, some of them have been blamed for illegal dumping. 

The county collects the remaining 20 per cent of the waste. 

About 2,400 tonnes of solid waste is generated daily in the city but only about 1,500 tonnes are collected and taken to Dandora dumpsite.

In an attempt to address the menace, Governor Mike Sonko in June 2018, launched the monthly clean-up. The county then improved from collecting 800 tonnes to an average of 2,000 tonnes a day.

Edited by R.Wamochie