Sakaja commit to resolve garbage menace in the city
Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja has today committed to resolving garbage menace during his inaugural city tour after being sworn in office.
Accompanied by deputy governor James Muchiri, Sakaja made the commitment as he toured various parts of the city where heaps of uncollected solid waste have piled up.
“Toured various parts of the city this morning with my officers. I have given firm directions on resolving the current garbage problem across Nairobi in the next few days. We will have a city of order, dignity, hope, and opportunity for all,” he said through his Twitter handle.
The Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) was handling all functions, and projects, it is however expected to revert powers back to the Nairobi County Government after two years.
Nairobi is characterised by uncollected garbage, broken sewer systems, disorder as a result of untamed public service vehicles, and unchecked hawkers who have overrun it.
Most of the challenges facing the city are far from over.
Currently, NMS has partnered with outdoor advertising firm, Magnet Ventures Limited in the installation of garbage collection bins at strategic points within the CBD.
Some of the contracted garbage collectors by City Hall are; Aende Group, Creative Consolidated System, Kemnest Investment, Janel Agencies and Kange Construction.
Others are; Yiro Enterprises, J W Mwangi, Tema Home Care, Nyawa Agencies, Felixilease Ltd, Vineyard Holdings, Hardi Enterprises, Beta Best, Jackoy Enterprises, Purlexis Enterprises, Acacia Equipment, Yiro Enterprise and Commodity Waste Management.
Previously, Aende Group was subject of investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (Eacc) for allegedly having been picked against three other firms in a skewed competitive bidding process and had 15 secretariat members and 52 stewards against a required 200 stewards to clean the 2km-square Nairobi central business district.
In 2019, former Nairobi governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko was put to task to explain the award and consequent payments of controversial garbage collection tenders amounting to over Sh600million.
Sh162, 092,407 was paid to two firms for collecting garbage in areas they had not been pre-qualified for.
However, both the Major General Mohamed Badi’s led NMS and the former governor Anne Kananu remained tight lipped over the matter.
Badi announced that beginning next week, they will start the handing over process to Sakaja.
“I am happy to report that NMS has accomplished all the tasks given to do within the two years,” said Maj Gen Badi during Sakaja’s swearing-in ceremony at KICC grounds, Nairobi. Any extra tasks that we have taken onboard, which are ongoing projects, I will be more than happy to hand over. We will start the process of handing over from next week,” Badi said.
After Nairobi county governor Mike Sonko handed the instrument of transfer over to the National government, which chose Badi and his staff to lead the Capital, NMS took over administration of Nairobi County in March 2020.
The National Government’s services for health, transportation, public works, and planning and development were taken over by NMS.
Acting Nairobi Governor Ann Kananu extended the NMS contract from February 25, 2022, to August 24, 2022, in March of this year.
The notice did specify that there would be a three-month transition period after the NMS term expired.
