Sakaja blames floods on poor waste disposal by residents

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja /HANDOUT

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has attributed the recent flooding witnessed in parts of the city to poor waste disposal practices by residents.

He said the county’s routine efforts to unclog drainage systems have revealed that large amounts of waste dumped by residents are the main cause of blocked drainage systems.

According to the governor, plastics, bottles and other forms of garbage are frequently found in drainage channels during clean-up by county workers.

Heavy rains have been pounding the city, killing several people and damaging a number or properties.

 “All of us must play our part. Even as it flooded, by morning the water had all moved. Every day when we do anti-clogging drainage, what are they finding in that drainage? They are finding plastics, bottles. Who dumps in that drainage? It’s all of us,” Sakaja said.

Sakaja pointed out that littering is not limited to certain groups, saying even people driving expensive vehicles have been seen discarding trash along the roads.

“You find someone in a very big car throwing banana peels outside and then you will say Sakaja,” he said.

The governor further shared an encounter he had with a trader in Kahawa West, which he said reflects the everyday behavior that contributes to the city’s waste problem.

“I was in Kahawa West the other day and I met this lady who was like, ‘Karibu super governor, lakini mbona kuna uchafu?’” Sakaja recounted.

After asking the trader to show him the garbage she was referring to, Sakaja said he realised the trash she was pointing at was actually the remains of the produce she was selling.

“Pointing at some trash right in front of her stall, the peels were of what she sells,” he said.

One of the flooded areas in Nairobi Central Business District after the heavy rains on Friday, March 6 /HANDOUT

The governor said such incidents demonstrate how some residents contribute to the waste problem while at the same time blaming the county government for poor sanitation.

While acknowledging that enforcement by city council officers is necessary, Sakaja emphasised that authorities cannot monitor every individual across the city at all times.

“Yes there is what enforcement must be done by the city council officers, but you can't just be running around people,” he said.

The governor urged Nairobi residents to adopt responsible waste disposal practices and to actively participate in clean-up activities organised by the county.

“Let us be responsible. When we do clean up in an area, come out and join us because it is our environment and it will affect you personally when you don’t do it,” Sakaja urged.

The governor’s remarks come as Nairobi continues to experience heavy rains that have led to flooding in several parts of the city, disrupting transport and affecting businesses and households.

Sakaja maintained that while the county government will continue to improve drainage systems and waste management services, lasting solutions will require residents to change their behavior and play their part in protecting the city’s environment.