Residents, officials, and partners gathered at Kisii's Agricultural Training Centre on Sunday to celebrate World Cleanup Day, marking the occasion with the unveiling of a former dumpsite turned park and a new waste-recovery facility. The event was held under the theme "From Clean Plates to Clean Cities," with senior officials in attendance. The celebrations were a significant milestone for Kisii, which was selected by UN-Habitat and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to host Kenya's national celebrations.
The former Nyambera dumpsite was decommissioned by the county government in partnership with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and transformed into a green recreational park. Governor Paul Simba Arati highlighted the importance of proper waste management, citing the devastating consequences of poorly managed waste sites. He referenced the August 2024 Kiteezi landfill collapse in Kampala, which killed 35 people, and a recent landfill disaster in Conakry, Guinea, that claimed 36 lives.
Kisii generates approximately 200 tonnes of waste daily, with about 60% being organic. However, much of this waste ends up buried due to inadequate source-segregation. To address this challenge, the county has installed a Materials Recovery Facility at the Agricultural Training Centre, capable of processing up to 50 tonnes of waste daily. The facility includes a Black Soldier Fly unit that converts 10 tonnes of organic waste into animal feed and fertilizer.
The new waste-recovery infrastructure is part of a broader effort to improve waste management in Kisii. A weighbridge has been installed to record waste volumes, and colour-coded bins have been distributed to reinforce segregation at source. The county has also launched the Kazi Mashinani programme, which engages about 2,000 youths and women each month in clean-up and drainage maintenance activities.
The programme aims to create income opportunities for roughly 24,000 residents by next year. Governor Arati emphasized the importance of community involvement in waste management, highlighting the role of the Kazi Mashinani programme in promoting a culture of cleanliness and sustainability. The county is also finalizing policies and by-laws to strengthen the circular economy.
The new policies include provisions for prosecuting waste-management offenders through the municipal court, with fines channelled into public education. Governor Arati invited investors to explore waste-to-energy, commercial composting, paper manufacturing, and other value-addition projects, offering concessions to support sustainable waste-management ventures. He also highlighted the need for regional cooperation in addressing the growing waste challenge.
The event was attended by senior officials, including UN-Habitat's East and Horn of Africa director, the national budget controller, the principal secretary for broadcasting and telecommunications, and the NEMA Director-General. The celebrations demonstrated Kisii's commitment to environmental sustainability and its efforts to promote responsible waste management practices.
Key points
- Kisii unveils a former dumpsite turned park and a new waste-recovery facility on World Cleanup Day.
- The county aims to create income opportunities for 24,000 residents through its Kazi Mashinani programme.
- Kisii generates approximately 200 tonnes of waste daily, with plans to strengthen waste management through new policies and infrastructure.
