County ordered to build wall around Dandora dumpsite

A woman is scavenging through a heap of garbage at the Dandora dumpsite in Nairobi on January 23, 2014. The High Court has directed the Nairobi County government to construct a high wall around the Dandora dumpsite to prevent spillage. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU |

By  THOMAS KARIUKI

What you need to know:

  • The directive is in line with a proposal by the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) to try exterminating the menace that has befallen Dandora people for the last four decades.
  • Dandora dumpsite is located just eight kilometers from the central business district and lies on a 30-acre piece of land and literally spills into the households of nearly 1.3 million people.
  • He also claimed that the landfill is the source of pollution for Nairobi River. Justice Lenaola also ordered that the county government to formulate laws on management of plastic bags.

The High Court has directed the Nairobi County government to construct a high wall around the Dandora dumpsite to prevent spillage.

The ruling is good news to Embakasi residents who have been battling in court for four years.

The directive is in line with a proposal by the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) to try exterminating the menace that has befallen Dandora people for the last four decades.

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Justice Isaac Lenaola adopted a report brought to the court by Nema saying that the measures will prevent further encroachment of scavengers and cartels at the dumpsite.

He also asked the county to provide 24-hour security surveillance at the site in order to stop illegal activities and come up with stringent measures to manage or end armed cartels.

DUMPSITE RELOCATION
Dandora dumpsite is located just eight kilometers from the central business district and lies on a 30-acre piece of land and literally spills into the households of nearly 1.3 million people.

The smouldering mountains of rubbish consists of solid waste generated daily by around 3.5 million inhabitants of Nairobi.

According to a petition lodged by Embakasi North MP James Gakuya and Mr Joseph Mudenyo suing on behalf of residents, they told the court that Nairobi government continues to violate their rights and consequently urged that the court to order the relocation of the dumpsite.

Mr Gakuya accused the county of perpetrating the spread of respiratory diseases saying that all manner of waste is dumped at the site ranging from industrial effluents, agricultural waste, used syringes with other sharp objects, pharmaceutical waste and even aborted foetuses.

SANITARY FACILITIES
He also claimed that the landfill is the source of pollution for Nairobi River. Justice Lenaola also ordered that the county government to formulate laws on management of plastic bags.

Justice Lenaola similarly asked the county to increase the personnel manning the dumpsite.

They county was also ordered to put up minimum sanitary facilities and fire systems.

He also urged the county government to find proper ways of engaging the human scavengers usefully in the management of the dumpsite.

The proceedings resume January 2015.

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