Clean up Nairobi or face court, Nema tells county officials

Nairobi City County's woes are far from over with the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) now giving City Hall officials a 48-hour ultimatum to fix the garbage mess or face legal action.

The environmental watchdog took to its Twitter page on Wednesday evening to issue a directive to the Mike Sonko-led administration to clean up the capital in two days’ time.

It further directed county officials to table a report on compliance of the same to Nema, failing which the officials will face legal proceedings.

“Nema gives Nairobi County 48 hours to clear all the uncollected solid waste that has littered the city and report on compliance to the Authority within 7 days failing which officers in charge will be prosecuted,” read the post by Nema.

The watchdog, however, did not specify which county officials it would be targeting with legal action.

PAY ROW

The ultimatum comes just days after a payment dispute between disgruntled garbage collectors and City Hall led to a strike last Tuesday.

The garbage collectors said they had not been paid for more than three months, even as the Finance and Environment departments traded blame over who is responsible for the mess.

The irate workers took to the city centre streets on March 10 and scattered garbage all over.

Just last month, Nairobi County said it had entered into a one-year renewable contract with the NYS to clean up the city, although it is not clear if this was effected.

A spot check on Kimathi Street, Moi Avenue and Kenyatta Avenue revealed streets littered with garbage and litter bins filled to the brim.

Garbage collection is a function of the county government's Environment docket, even as some of Sonko’s critics point an accusing finger at him over the capital’s woes.

The recent move by the national government to take over some key functions from the governor seems to have left City Hall in a limbo as it is not clear if certain duties are now under the control of the county or the national government.

SHARED BLAME

While the county government has come under fire over the current situation, the role of city residents in the garbage menace has also come under scrutiny over time.

Business owners and residents share the blame for the filth, with many businesses using street children to dump their solid waste.

Several alleys and streets in the city centre and Nairobi River have borne the brunt of this action by rogue traders.

Nairobi residents have also been blamed for careless disposal of litter as they walk, as well as throwing trash from moving matatus and private cars.