Economy

Over 35-year-olds out of garbage plan

garbage

Garbage truck in Nairobi’s CBD. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NMG

Nairobi governor Mike Sonko will not contract garbage collection companies whose owners are above 35 years as City Hall this week started the search for firms to handle waste disposal in the estates.

The county government put up tender notices for the youth-owned garbage collection firms whose roles will include sweeping, litter picking, solid waste management and open spaces maintenance in 17 sub-counties.

“The Nairobi City County invites sealed tenders from eligible firms.

“The bid documents can be downloaded from Nairobi City County website and are meant for the youth,” said county secretary in a notice.

City Hall under Evans Kidero in 2014 unveiled a garbage collection plan that lamped the city into four zones with a single firm handling refuse disposal in the set areas.

Residents of Kitisuru, Muthaiga, Nyari, Mathare and Starehe will be grouped into one zone, while those of Lang’ata, Karen, Mugumoini, Race Course and Kibra will be in the second zone.

READ: Nairobi kicks out garbage collection firms from CBD

The third zone will comprise parts of Ruaka, Kamukunji, Eastleigh and Makadara.

Kilimani, Lavington and Kileleshwa were in a separate zone. The hired firms were to charge residents between Sh150 and Sh500 depending on the zones and income class as well as cede 15 per cent of their collections to City Hall.

The plan was dropped after private garbage collectors opposed it.

City Hall is yet to disclose financing deals in the latest waste collection plan.

Currently, residents make private arrangements for disposal of household waste in a city where managing solid waste remains a nightmare. 

Less than half of the garbage generated in the city is collected and disposed of at the county’s sole dumping site in Dandora.

In his manifesto, Mr Sonko flagged garbage collection as a priority area, saying he would put in place management systems to ensure residents live in a clean environment.