Nairobi County on Sunday, February 9 night launched its first large-scale coordinated clean-up exercise this year, signaling the start of an intensified push to modernise waste collection and disposal across the capital.

Maureen Njeri, the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Green Nairobi, said the initiative goes beyond the routine daily clean-ups carried out by the county’s more than 4,000-strong “Green Army,” marking the beginning of a broader transformation in how the city handles waste.

“Today we are conducting our first major clean-up this year in addition to the usual daily exercises we undertake in a coordinated manner with our Green Army. This marks the beginning of a journey to focus more on cleaning, waste collection and disposal. We will be undertaking such monthly clean ups in the subcounties and wards to ensure residents and stakeholders are involved inorder to inculcate responsibility in the protection of our environment and hence city residents are urged to join this clean ups in their neighborhoods,” Njeri said. “In addition to this, we are In the coming weeks, we are upscaling our waste-management operations by establishing an integrated solid waste management system for the City of Nairobi. This system will ensure all waste generated is collected and evacuated more efficiently and in a timely manner. We will have material recovery stations that will enhance circular economy in waste management. This will ensure we recover and make better use of the over three tonnes of garbage collected daily. This system will incorporate all stakeholders/partners in the entire waste management value chain to ensure its successful implementation. In partnership with the national government, we expect to repurpose this waste into a variety of useful products.”

Nairobi Central MCA Mwaniki Kwenya emphasised the importance of public participation, noting that sustainable cleanliness requires collective effort from residents and businesses alike.

“Our main agenda today is to sensitise the public that cleanliness is a shared responsibility. We must all play our part by keeping our workspaces and walkways clean and disposing of waste properly,” he said.

The clean-up campaign comes a day after President William Ruto and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja announced that the tender for the city’s integrated garbage management programme had been finalised, with implementation set to begin on April 1.

According to the President, the new integrated system will be introduced in phases, with full-scale production of fertiliser and electricity expected to commence next year once the contracted company completes operational arrangements.

Governor Sakaja said the new plan was developed jointly with the national government to address Nairobi’s mounting waste challenge, particularly in busy markets where garbage often accumulates within hours.

“We have worked with the President and figured out how to deal with garbage in Nairobi. Every day the city produces huge amounts of waste, and in markets you can see garbage piling up after just a few hours. We have now awarded a tender, and in a few weeks we will be ready to roll out a well-coordinated system to ensure garbage is collected efficiently and transported to Dandora,” the Governor said.

The initiativeis expected to form part of a long-term strategy to transform Nairobi’s waste from an environmental burden into an economic and energy resource while improving overall urban cleanliness.