Nairobi Governor Sakaja Johnson has led a citywide mega clean-up campaign bringing together all 17 sub-counties, residents, county staff, the Green Army and other stakeholders in a fresh push to keep the capital clean, unclog drainage systems and improve the urban environment.

The exercise, which has mobilised 4,500 Green Army personnel, residents, county staff and other stakeholders, is targeting neighbourhoods, estates, roads and drainage channels across the city as the county intensifies preparations for the expected heavy rains.

Nairobi currently collects about 3,200 tonnes of garbage daily, with the Green Army playing a central role in waste collection, environmental clean-up and maintenance of public spaces.

Sakaja has challenged residents to take personal responsibility for the cleanliness of their surroundings, urging households, businesses and institutions to take ownership of at least 100 metres around their premises.

He said the “Nairobi Lazima Iwork” philosophy should extend beyond the county government and become a collective responsibility in which residents actively contribute to making the capital cleaner and safer.

“Nairobi Lazima Iwork is not just about what the county government does. It is about what each one of us does. If every Nairobi resident takes responsibility for the space around them, keeps their neighbourhood clean and protects our drainage, we will build the Nairobi we all want to see,” Sakaja said.

The Governor said the clean-up should not be treated as a one-day event but as the beginning of a sustained culture of environmental responsibility.

The campaign is centred on four key actions: picking litter, cleaning drains, keeping neighbourhoods clean and taking pride in Nairobi.

Residents have been mobilised through designated meeting points in the wards, with county teams working alongside communities to address waste and drainage challenges.

“A clean city cannot be achieved by government alone. It requires every resident, every estate, every business and every community to play their part. We must make cleanliness a habit and not wait for the county to come and clean after us,” Sakaja said.

Sakaja has also invited Nairobi residents to turn out in large numbers for a special citywide clean-up exercise on Saturday, October 10, to mark Mazingira Day.

Mazingira Day is observed annually on October 10, following amendments to the Public Holidays Act, with the day dedicated to environmental conservation activities.

The Governor urged residents, businesses, community groups and institutions to use the occasion to take practical action to keep their neighbourhoods clean and protect the environment.

The Mazingira Day mobilisation will build on the ongoing county clean-up campaign and reinforce the message that maintaining a clean Nairobi is a shared responsibility.

Green Nairobi County Executive Committee Member Maureen Njeri said the mega clean-up was part of the county’s broader effort to change the culture of waste management and strengthen community participation in keeping Nairobi clean.

“We want to move from a culture where residents wait for the county to clean their neighbourhoods to one where everyone takes responsibility for their surroundings. Green Nairobi belongs to all of us, and keeping the city clean must become a shared responsibility,” Njeri said.

The mega clean-up comes against the backdrop of broader reforms by the Sakaja administration aimed at fundamentally changing how Nairobi manages its waste.

A key component of the reforms is the establishment of NCCG-Green Nairobi Limited Company, which is being positioned as a professional county-owned entity with its own governance, management and operational structures.

The county formally inducted a seven-member Green Nairobi board in September, with environmentalist and conservationist Dr Isaac Kalua serving as chairperson.

The board was appointed by Sakaja and formally gazetted on August 14, 2026, for a three-year term.

Its membership brings together expertise in environmental conservation, solid waste management, technology and data systems, law, community representation and operations.

The move is intended to give Green Nairobi the professional leadership and strategic direction required to operate beyond the traditional county department model and develop into a sustainable waste-management institution.

The county’s service framework identifies Green Nairobi’s responsibilities as including garbage collection, licensing of waste collectors, maintenance of public spaces and coordination of efforts towards a clean, green and liveable Nairobi.

“Green Nairobi must have the professionalism, independence and accountability to deliver. We are putting in place the right governance structures, the right expertise and the resources required to build a waste-management system that can serve Nairobi sustainably,” Sakaja said.

The Governor has also pushed for a shift from an approach focused mainly on collecting and dumping waste to a modern system that treats waste as both an environmental challenge and an economic resource.

Under the new model, Green Nairobi is expected to strengthen the collection, transportation, processing and disposal of waste while improving accountability and service delivery.

The 4,500-strong Green Army remains a key component of the county’s immediate clean-up operations, supporting waste collection, drainage clearance and environmental maintenance across Nairobi.

The mega clean-up is also aimed at supporting flood-prevention measures by removing garbage from drainage channels and public spaces ahead of the rains.

The county has repeatedly urged residents not to dump waste in drainage systems, warning that blocked waterways can worsen flooding during heavy rainfall.