Dada Rose,

Thanks for the complements. We are doing the much that needs to be done as a starting point.First and foremost, take time and read what Oto has taken from what Hon. Minister Madam Beth Mugo said. We will share the soft copy of the whole speech online, it has some very great thoughts.

She made some very great observations.As for littering, we must acknowledge there are challenges which need to be dealt with to reduce the mounds of waste all over.

As we were driving to Pumwani, we used Juja Road, the whole stretch from roundabout("Raunda") junction of that road and Outer Ring is one hell of a mess and dumping site on both sides. The streets into Eastleigh is not any better. Not only is Dandora a dump site but our roads and streets are turning into dump sites, literally every open space is becoming a dump site!

The problems is becoming bigger and we need to address the challenge. We cannot assume it is only the council that is not doing what it ought to do, we must also take individual responsibility and acknowledge we are facing a crisis.

Having said that, we must focus on sustainable solutions to this growing challenge.Yesterday on Family TV, we discussed what we believe is the best solution. ,Make waste management attractive as an investment opportunity, this will make the ideas of separating waste attractive because the separated waste will he held as raw materials for sale to the converters. If we can encourage this route, and this is what TCKC is doing, we will cut by more than half the problem.

We are now holding forums with youth networks and sharing with them local case studies of what others are doing with waste. Visit Maasai Market on Saturdays and you will be amazed what folks are using polythene paper for, plastics, etc.These capacities need to be enhanced and replicated.

These do not even require huge recycling plants, these people are simply being creative and innovative.

If you watched the documentary before our interview on family TV aired yesterday, you must have noticed the old man in Kayole who is recycling plastics and polythene and making fencing posts with the same. His wife is making vikapu from strands and strings of polythene.Youths have become his suppliers of the raw materials, the area has become cleaner and the drainage are never clogged with plastics and polythene.

These are the ideas we are documenting and sharing with the groups we meet.

Until we begin reducing the waste generated through recycling, it will not be easy to deal with waste in our towns.

But as we do this, we are also trying to talk to partners who can support the process and there are many ways of doing so. Just the other day in Pumwani, Equity Bank Manager at Gikomba agreed to mobilize other corporates to help buy a truck for transporting waste so that PYGRON youth network can begin separating waste, transport what can be recycled to the converters to sell and then the rest to designated places where they can he dealt with by the council. That is a great step, it will reduce the waste that goes to Dandora and can be used to create opportunities and give the youth some income.

Remember, closing Dandora cannot be a solution before we have thought out what to do with the waste, takataka will spill all over and overrun our homes. We discussed this with NEMA who were contemplating closing it and advised that we first of all go the separation and recycling way to reduce waste en route to Dandora then it would be easy to task the council to now find better ways of handling the less that 50% that gets to Dandora.

As we were in Pumwani, many were asking if they will be paid to do the cleanup, others just sat looking at us, while others came out with rubbish to throw in the places we had cleaned. Now, this is a matter of attitudes and that is why after every cleanup, we hold a forum to sensitize residents of the dangers they expose themselves in those kind of living conditions.

You do not solve a problem by creating another, it is better to look for lasting solutions that solves the problems once and for all.

Best,

Otieno Sungu.

TCKC.

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From: ROSE KAGWIRIA
To: "progCc: "Vu>
Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2012 2:19 PM
Subject: (VVM Forum) Re: [PK] Let us apprehend those who litter- Hon Beth Mugo

OTO

You are doing a very good job. Keep up. However, when you find a problem get a realistic solution. For example, if you tell people not to through waste all over, you should find out why they are doing it and provide what is missing. The other day I found very nice roasted maize which I bought, ate but had nowhere to through the maize cob. Before i threw it on the roadside, I checked if there was a police or army man around because If you do what I did in rwanda, you will find yourself behind bars for some days. Police are all over on the roads guarding not only people from terrorists but environment from being contaminated. WASTE BINS ARE ALL OVER ON RWANDAN ROADS. So please tell whoever is concerned to provide what is missing. Secondly, I hope you will see to it that Dandora dumping  site is relocated. Its a health hazard to dandora people.Those guys who own those plots should stop the business and use the plots for other purposes. As long as Dadora dumping site remains where it is, I will not agree with anybody who says is doing any clean up. Better flying toilets than that dumping site. Its causing alot of respiratory problems to that community especially at night when they burn it. Its also a security risk. Imagine if alshabab lands his bomb there or hinds there pretending to be chokora? Its food for your thoughts