Editorials

EDITORIAL: Campaign posters an eyesore

posters

Campaign posters are found everywhere. photo | Jared Nyataya

More than a week after the General Election last Tuesday, Nairobi and other parts of Kenya are still awash with campaign posters.

Whereas almost all politicians were prompt to pull down billboards and other related campaign advertising to avoid the obvious cost implications, the same cannot be said of posters.

Only a handful of aspirants have mobilised their supporters in a clean-up exercise to remove the posters that are an eyesore and continue to litter the streets.

However, lost to many candidates in the polls – both winners and losers – is that there is a law that stipulates removal of campaign materials to curb pollution of the environment.

READ: Remove your posters now, Nema tells politicians

Indeed, the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) has put politicians on notice that they will face the law for failure to clean their mess in accordance with Environment Management Co-ordination Act 2013.

We urge politicians to comply with the law as a matter of urgency. The regulator should not only issue ultimatums but also prosecute culpable political players -- who lead by bad example -- for breaking the law regardless of their status.