Sakaja has hands full as he bids to clean up Nairobi
Days after he was sworn into office, Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja face a huge task as he bids to clean up the capital.
In recent times, the city, and especially Central Business District (CBD) has been a venue of a strong stench of garbage carelessly thrown.
Every one-minute walk, you are welcomed with aimlessly thrown sacks full of waste.
It is not clear at what time the garbage is being dumped or why the previous authorities consisting the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) and former governor Ann Kananu did not clean up.
Nairobi residents will always assume once a sack of dirt is thrown beside the road, then that’s a place or venue for dumping garbage.
At OTC roundabout near Mathais supermarket within the CBD for example, there exists a huge ‘dumpsite’. Months ago, it was a clean place.
River Road is another unhygienic place. Heading towards OTC, you are not sure whether you at a dumpsite or within a capital city.
The heap of garbage that will take time to clear.
Residents have not made work easier. Rather, they keep on dumping more more garbage turning the environment into a health hazard.
On Saturday, the new governor took a stroll within the city and promised to ‘soon’ solve the garbage problem.
“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 announced.
Nairobi is a fast growing city with a population of approximately 5 million.
As the population increases, so does the amount of solid waste. It is approximated that each individual generates about 0.62 kilograms of garbage per day.