Kenya's waste management challenge

Chifu,
These are the things we have been talking about, and I am happy that Nairobi has elected into office a savvy technocrat in the person of Dr Evans Kidero, whom I want to believe will address the issues. Infact, he can make Nairobi clean between now and 1st June 2013 as we celebrate our 50 Years of Independence.
It is not that our Towns are lacking in capacity to manage and control waste, the problem is, our technocrats in the Environment Departments have never been keen in addressing the menace that is waste and garbage.
We all know that waste is wealth, but what are our technocrats doing to empower the CBOs who have stepped forward to help realize this? Nothing. To our technocrats, shifting waste from one point to the next is so lucrative. This is why the City Council of Nairobi is spending Kshs 40 million every month on contracted Garbage Trucks, yet, no garbage is being shifted still. And again, at a time the Council could invest that money on buying new Trucks and developing skills for the many people who have steeped in to help manage waste in our former beautiful Town.
Nairobi along Enterprise Road on the 13th February 2013
I have told these mandarins at the Department of Environment at the City Council of Nairobi over and over that shifting waste from one point to the next will NEVER be waste management. But you see, there is profit in waste shifting.
We have introduced a Training Programme on Waste Management at The Clean Africa Campaign-TCAC, and if we can get support from the Governor-Elect, we will greatly reduce plastic and polythene waste in Nairobi and across our Cities and Towns. For, Plastic and Polythene waste are the main waste ingredients that clog our drainage systems and create massive waste piles across our Towns.
We are recalling the first batch of Trainees soon to enable us move forward. We are only waiting for the Governor to be sworn in to office before we pro-actively engage with him.
Again, we have been keen on piloting the Process of Separation of Waste at Source. This is a serious issue that must be enforced by the Governor and the Central Government. This is a process that will create massive employment opportunities across Kenya and Africa and we only need the goodwill and support of the Governor and we are home and dry.
We are replecating this across all Kenya as we move into other African Countries.
Managing waste has never been a difficult thing. We are only making it difficult because we want to use waste and garbage as a conduit to align our pockets.
Enterprise Road in Nairobi on the 13th February 2013
Our remedy is simple but effective; let the Governors-Elect revamp their Departments of Environment and set in place a clear process that will do the following;

1. Register all waste handling groups across our Cities
2. Train the same groups on proper waste management with particular emphasis to specialization on different waste streams
3. Delineate clear waste streams for each group
4. Create holding grounds for the waste handlers as they sort and transport each waste stream to the end user
5. Create a clear data bank for all waste users and convertors to enable the waste handlers know where to take their various forms of waste
6. Then create a clear payment structure for each waste stream and make those payments be on real time.

Waste and Garbage Management is becoming a big issue and according to projections from the World Bank in their last report, the Municipal Solid Waste generated by the Municipals across the World will hit 2.2 Billion Tonnes by 2025 and this will cost the World some $375 Billion annually to manage.
This is huge, and definitely, it is beyond the current teams managing waste in Africa and more so in Kenya.It needs the undivided attention of our Governors as a priority and the involvement of the Central Governments for support.
We are currently developing our 5 Year Strategic Plan and we want to conform this to the Electoral Circle as we engage all our Governors to work for a Clean Kenya as our immediate measure as we approach celebrating our 50 Years of Independence on the 1st June 2013. We will then hit the ground running in April with a view to making change happen across Kenya and Africa.
Then on 5th June 2013, as we celebrate the World Environment Day, we will host The Kenya Environmentalist of the Year Award- KEYA Awards where we will appreciate best practices from our Towns and Cities, colleges and estates.
We are inviting partnerships that can work with us towards achieving these goals.
Peace and blessings,

Odhiambo T Oketch,

Executive Director,

The Clean Africa Campaign- TCAC

Nairobi Kenya.

The Clean Africa Campaign is an initiative of KCDN Kenya