Yesterday, the 19th of September 2012, we held
our 2nd planning session with the market leaders of all the 53
markets in Nairobi.
The Clean Kenya Campaign-TCKC working
in partnership with the market leaders and the City Council of Nairobi-CCN plan
the launch of a sustained cleaning, upgrading and face-lift of all our markets.
This is where our foodstuff comes from and we must be disturbed at the
deplorable state in which most are.
After attending our 2nd Consultative Forum on
Waste Management at the KICC on the 28th Aug. 2012, the market
leaders made a resolve to play their part in cleaning and maintaining
cleanliness. They have in turn asked the CCN to also play its role effectively
to ensure we have cleaner and safer markets.
Yesterday’s planning meeting was
hosted by the CCN and Mr.
Geoffrey Kihoro, Deputy Director of Environment represented the Council.
Also
in attendance was Mr. Robert Kiriago, the Senior Markets Superintendent,
Mr.
Wanjohi of Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation representing the
Chief Public Health officer at the Ministry Dr. Kepha Ombacho, Madam
Margaret, DO
Makadara representing the Provincial Administration and the Chair-lady
of
Nairobi Market Traders Society-NMTS was also present.
The following were matters addressed;
Follow up on the request to the City Council of Nairobi by market leaders
for provision of;
1.
Regular Cleaning and security services for all
markets.
2.
Provision of water services to markets.
3.
Painting and face-lifting of markets.
4.
Re-carpeting of market floors.
5.
Unclogging drainage systems within and around
markets.
6.
Provision of electricity within all markets.
7.
Provision of designated waste collection
points/receptacles for waste.
In his presentation of behalf of The
Clean Kenya Campaign-TCKC, Mr Otieno Sungu reminded the traders of
the rallying call that a clean Kenya
begins with each one of us. As we take responsibility, we want to focus on
service delivery. This way, we
can compliment the efforts of those offering services and also demand quality services
from those whose performance is wanting. He noted and appreciated the various
public servants who have come out strongly to ensure the issue of waste is
managed in a better manner. He informed the traders of the plans of continued
massive national awareness and sensitization coupled with training in waste
management that TCKC and partners
have embarked on. His rallying call to all; councils, traders, corporate,
schools and colleges, government departments, organizations and private
citizens was that we strive to make our towns and cities cleaner and safer by
the 1st June 2013 as we celebrate our Silver Jubilee.
Mr. Wanjohi reminded all that
despite the right in the
constitution for a clean environment for all, we should make this a
personal
initiative that takes care of our personal health. He pledged that his
Ministry will
support this initiative. In line with this, we wish to indicate that we
will be
following up on the pledges made by The Minister for Public Health and
Sanitation, Hon. Beth Mugo for provision of waste receptacles for
Separation of
Waste as we begin the market clean ups. We will also be following up
with The
Prime Minister’s office, The Ministry of Education, The Ministry of
Nairobi Metropolitan Development and The Ministry of Environment on
specific policy
directions that they have made in our past events. We would wish to
ensure that
what is said in these forums is translated into action and implemented
for the
benefit of residents. We will also take follow up with various
stakeholders who have indicated interest in ensuring decent, cleaner and
safer environments especially people living in informal settlements.
Guess what this is?
Looks like a stream to me!
Oh Nooooo...it is garbage!
Mr.Geoffrey Kihoro, Deputy Director for Environment at the
CCN took note of all the concerns of the traders and pledged that these will be
addressed in due course. He commended the initiative and the markets traders
for coming forth to clean our markets and to compliment the efforts of the City
Council of Nairobi. He also welcomed the idea of inviting corporates to help
face lift our markets through branding. TCKC
will be engaging specific corporates in this regard.
He lamented about the challenges the council faces
especially in terms of staffing and resources. The council has about 11, 000
employees in total and about 800 in the Department of Environment. It also has
about 8 working trucks to collect all garbage in Nairobi thus having to contract a further 20
trucks at a cost of Ksh. 40 million monthly to compliment their capacity.
While we appreciate these challenges, we would also wish to
point out to the council to use resources prudently. It would make much more
sense to spend Ksh. 40 million monthly to buy at least 4 trucks every month and
within 1 year, the Council would have a total of 48 trucks, within 2 years, the
council would be able to build their capacity to provide trucks for all the
divisions of Nairobi. In essence, the years after that, the council should only
be spending funds on service and fuel. Such trucks can be bought on a loan
arrangement.
These are the priorities we wish to engage the Council on to better services to residents.
Unless there are vested interests that prevent such basic and reasonable
thinking, the council should do better on planning. We welcome the CCN’s
efforts in solid waste management, but it must go beyond doing Master Plans like
they did in 1998 only to review the same in 2010 without implementing. This is
not acceptable.
We must also appreciate the Media Houses who have come on
board to help us drive this trans-formative national agenda. Family TV(which has been hosting us for
their Friday 8.00pm Program-It is All in
the Family), GBS TV who not only
covered our forum but followed up with a panorama, The Star Newspaper, The
Citizen Weekly both who have been prominently featuring our articles, Kiss FM, Radio Waumini and Radio Umoja,
all who are driving this
sensitization through offering us airtime to speak to Kenyans. We
appreciate
your belief that Kenya
can be cleaner and safer at 50 next year.We welcome the rest to join in
making Kenya a clean country of efficient service delivery.
We
are also planning, with organized groups, partners and residents of
Kibera a massive operation to remove all the waste in Kibera streams in
the coming weeks, we will announce the specific dates soon.Fellow
Kenyans must not be reduced to living like animals while we watch. We
must provide leadership in resolving the overwhelming waste in that
area.Life in informal settlements must not be a resignation to filth,
diseases and lack of service delivery.This is social injustice.
In the meantime, we wish to announce that we have acquired
office space courtesy of one of our main sponsors, A Better World SOF-DI.
We are happy that they have now structured their support to this campaign to
carter for office and some logistics. We also appreciate the office hosting we
received from Mugumo Communications Limited for the last year.
We will be focusing on implementing the Practical Steps
agreed upon during our 2nd Consultative Forum and in this regard, we
will follow up with all who have shown interest in moving this process forward. We must
also not forget that efficient, satisfactory and timely service delivery is a
key component in sorting out the mess that is garbage in our towns and cities.
We look forward to more structured
sponsorship for this
initiative as we continue our programs currently focusing on cleanups
and
awareness campaigns, training on separation and conversion of waste as
well as documenting
waste management initiatives for up scaling, consolidating,
complimenting, bench marking, show casing best practices,
information/knowledge sharing and building capacities.
Programs
Manager.
The Clean Kenya
Campaign-TCKC
Tel; 0729 29 4743
Mailing Group; friendsofkcdn@yahoogroups.com 
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment