Mombasa county government has closed down the VOK dumpsite and started planting trees on part of the 22 acres owned by the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation in Nyali.
The land, which for many years was being used as a dumping site, had become an eyesore.
Mombasa had in December last year said the dumpsite would be removed by June.
All garbage will now be taken to Mwakirunge. Two trucks will be collecting garbage from Nyali daily to be taken to Mwakirunge.
By Friday, during this year’s World Environment Day, the dumpsite had been cleared.
“We realised that a big percentage of garbage in that place was organic. We removed part of it and levelled the ground before adding soil on it. We have now planted trees on it,” Environment CEC Godfrey Nato said.
In a press briefing with journalists, Nato said they have registered success at the former Kibarani dumpsite, which has now been transformed into a recreational park.
Kibarani was a dumpsite for about 50 years.
Last year, Governor Hassan Joho decommissioned the site.
“At Kibarani, we had some eight acres of land under solid waste. A decision was made to decommission the site and create a recreational park. We worked together with Mombasa Cement company and made a huge investment in transforming the land,” Nato said.
He said they grew some Casuarinas, palm trees and mangrove.
“Some have struggled, others are dying. But we have noticed that Mangroove is coming up, therefore, the place is not intoxicated as we had thought to believe. Soon the entire Kibarani will be under vegetations,” he said.
Mombasa has also launched a programme within the Island to deal with marine pollution.
Most sewage from the houses within the Island is channelled to the Indian Ocean.
“It has become almost impossible to treat all the sewage coming from the houses from a central place. Therefore, before an investor gets approval for house construction, they must not show the commitment of putting up an onsite treatment plant,” the executive said.
According to the United Nations, the county generates about 900 tonnes of municipal waste every day.
The county has the capacity to only collect 47 per cent.
“We are asking residents to help us by being responsible. About 80 per cent of households have access to collection agents, therefore let’s keep the county clean,” he said.
Edited by R.Wamochie
