Mombasa invests Sh95 million in new garbage collection fleet

Four newly acquired garbage compactor trucks at the municipal yard in Mombasa.

Buoyed by the recent Africa Report ranking that placed the city of Mombasa as the 18th cleanest on the continent, Mombasa county government is stepping up efforts to ensure efficient solid waste management.

Governor Abdulswamad Nassir attributed the recognition to commitment, consistency and collective responsibility between the government and residents.

“We are not slowing down. As we scale up our waste management efforts, our focus remains clear: a cleaner, healthier Mombasa, where every resident lives with dignity,” Nassir said.

To bolster garbage collection after years of public outcry over mounting waste in major streets and neighbourhoods, the devolved government procured 41 modified garbage-collection Tuk Tuks and four garbage compactor trucks worth Sh95 million.

The newly acquired machinery has significantly improved garbage collection, as most of the existing garbage trucks are ageing and have been overwhelmed by mounds of waste at a time when the city is experiencing a construction boom.

The Tuk Tuks ensure last-mile garbage collection, as they can navigate narrow streets that were previously hard to reach in most localities in the tourist city.

“Each truck can collect 10 to 12 tonnes of compacted waste, with just one truck carrying four times the load of the previous tippers. This means cleaner neighbourhoods, faster collection, and greater efficiency in our solid waste operations,” the governor said.

The county government has also enlisted youth-led community-based organisations and private garbage collectors to boost efficiency and cleanliness in the city.

Nassir revealed that the port city generates over 1,200 tonnes of solid waste daily, but only 52 per cent is collected, while the rest remains unaccounted for, contributing to the garbage menace that endangers public health.

“We are introducing radical reforms to reverse this trend by placing our youth at the heart of the circular economy. Under our new model, youth-led community-based organisations will be contracted to collect waste within designated zones across the county,” Nassir stated.

“This is more than a clean-up campaign. It is a jobs and dignity programme. Together, we will build a cleaner, healthier, and more inclusive Mombasa,” he added.

Traders at Majengo market welcomed the renewed efforts to improve waste management. The incorporation of youth, they said, has reduced drug and substance abuse as they are now engaged productively.

“We laud the governor for introducing this noble programme. Our market was clean before it became mounds of garbage. Business has improved,” Majengo market trader Moses Mutisya said.

Mwanahamisi Salim noted that the engagement of youth has significantly reduced theft cases, as those who were idle are now busy working. She urged the county government to ensure the programme is sustained and expanded to reach more youth.

County chief officer for environment and solid waste management Hamid Shehan disclosed that the Manyimbo collection point in Tudor ward has been closed, and all waste will now be directed to the material recovery facility at the municipal yard.

The move comes as a relief to a school and a church that had complained about a pungent stench from the collection point behind their premises, which affected learning and worship.

Before the relocation, garbage trucks used to load mounds of waste from across Tudor ward, delivered by collection companies and hand carts, leaving a rancid smell in surrounding areas.