While Nairobi county’s Sh44.6 billion budget for the 2025-26 financial year channels billions into health, education and infrastructure, little attention has been given to garbage collection and sanitation.
Despite repeated public outcry over the city’s growing filth problem, the newly approved budget has overlooked waste management, leaving residents and traders frustrated.
"Garbage collection is not a luxury — it's a basic need. We expected the county to finally act this year, but it's the same story," said Kamau Njoroge, a trader in Kasarani. “The air is polluted, the streets are filthy,and our businesses are suffering.”
The county assembly approved the budget during a special sitting last week, allocating Sh31.2 billion to recurrent expenditure and Sh13.4 billion to development. While no new taxes were introduced, the it opted to concentrate its limited resources on sectors such as health, education, road construction and ward-level development.
But the neglect of waste management is hard to miss. In Nairobi’s CBD, lanes behind I&M Bank near City Market are choked with uncollected garbage. Major markets such as Kangemi and City Park in Parklands are also overwhelmed by waste, while residential areas in Westlands battle overflowing bins and pungent smells.
“Every morning, we pass piles of garbage that have not been cleared for days. It’s demoralising and dangerous to our health,” Alice Wambui, a resident of Westlands said. “It’s like sanitation is invisible in this county’s priorities.”
Finance and planning executive Charles Kerich defended the budget, saying it was designed to meet growing demands without overburdening residents financially.
He said the overall budget had increased by Sh1 billion from the previous year, with funds directed towards “essential services and infrastructure".
Indeed, the health sector received a boost, with Sh849 million earmarked for constructing, rehabilitating and equipping health centres. An additional Sh400 million will supply county hospitals with non-pharmaceutical essentials.
“Infrastructure development is a key priority, with upgrades planned for major hospitals such as Pumwani Maternity and Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital,” Kerich said. “We are investing in modernising equipment and digitising health records.”
The school feeding programme received Sh700 million — a slight dip from Sh800 million last year – while bursaries were allocated Sh857 million, ensuring each of the 85 wards receives Sh7 million. Sh2.15 billion was earmarked for ward development projects, and roads received Sh2.8 billion for construction and upgrades.
Even sports infrastructure got a nod, with Sh1 billion allocated to stadium and sports complex construction.
However, there was no specific allocation mentioned for waste management or sanitation services in the budget summary — a glaring omission for a city battling growing mounds of uncollected garbage.
“What we are seeing is prioritisation of optics over essentials,” said Peter Mwangi, an environmental activist in Nairobi. “You can build roads and hospitals, but if people are living in filth, you’re undermining their health and dignity.”
Nairobi’s own-source revenue jumped to Sh13.4 billion in the previous financial year, up from Sh10 billion, which Kerich said was as a result of an expanded tax base and better revenue collection. Yet, even with this growth, key urban hygiene services appear to remain underfunded.
“We are widening our revenue streams and cleaning up the system to recover more funds,” the finance bos said. “This will improve service delivery over time.”
But for now, Nairobians remain skeptical.
"Until I stop seeing garbage mountains outside my door every week, I won't believe the county is serious about service delivery," Njoroge said.
As city residents continue to live amid uncollected waste, many wonder whether garbage and sanitation will ever be treated with the urgency they deserve — or remain buried beneath more politically visible priorities.
Instant Analysis:
Nairobi’s budget reflects a continued trend of investing in visible, vote-winning sectors while neglecting essential services like waste management. Without urgent action, the city’s garbage crisis risks undermining gains in health and infrastructure.
