Nairobi City County has announced a major crackdown on businesses in the central business district (CBD) accused of flouting waste disposal rules.
Chief Environment Officer Geoffrey Mosiria said on Monday that the operation will target hotels and other establishments that generate large amounts of waste.
“I will be leading an operation in the Central Business District to inspect all hotels and other establishments that generate waste, focusing on how they manage and dispose of it,” Mosiria stated.
He expressed concern over sacks of garbage dumped along walkways and road reserves, blaming businesses that cut corners by engaging unlicensed collectors.
“Currently, if you walk through the CBD, you will find sacks of garbage dumped along road reserves and walkways, contributing to the untidiness of our city,” he said.
According to Mosiria, some businesses avoid the cost of proper disposal by hiring street families or unlicensed operators who charge less but dump waste illegally. He warned that firms failing to pay for county waste services, or using unapproved private providers, would face legal consequences.
The county also pledged to trace illegally dumped garbage back to its source, with businesses found responsible held accountable.
Mosiria noted that while the crackdown begins in the CBD, it will gradually be expanded to other parts of Nairobi as part of efforts to curb illegal dumping and restore cleanliness.
“Sometimes, difficult and unpopular decisions must be made to achieve lasting results, and a clean, organized city is our ultimate goal,” he said.
The crackdown comes against the backdrop of a United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) report warning that global waste levels are rising at an alarming rate. The report, Beyond an Age of Waste: Turning Rubbish into a Resource, projects municipal solid waste to increase from 2.3 billion tones in 2023 to 3.8 billion tones by 2050, with management costs nearly doubling if urgent action is not taken.
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