NAIROBI, Kenya – The government has reaffirmed its commitment to restoring the Nairobi River, with a promise to thoroughly clean the waterway within the next 18 months.
Environment and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced the plan while putting companies responsible for polluting the river on notice.
“What you see behind me is not a river. In 18 months, we want to see a clean Nairobi,” Duale said during an event at the Nairobi Arboretum on Thursday.
He warned that companies, including slaughterhouses and Nairobi sewerage firms, must halt their polluting activities or face consequences.
The cleanup initiative, which covers the entire stretch of the Nairobi River from Naivasha Road to Athi River at Z-corner Juja Farm, is a key component of the government’s broader environmental conservation agenda.
Duale made the remarks while leading a celebration of Mazingira Day—formerly known as Utamaduni Day—a holiday dedicated to environmental preservation after being renamed earlier this year through the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendment Bill, 2024), signed by President William Ruto.
The holiday, marked on October 10, replaces the historical Moi Day, which was scrapped under the 2010 Constitution.
In addition to tackling Nairobi River pollution, Duale announced forthcoming changes in waste management practices, particularly in urban centers.
“We will soon gazette a color-coding system for waste in homes, separating recyclable from non-recyclable waste,” the CS said, signaling an effort to streamline waste collection and promote recycling.
Duale also called for accountability from Nairobi’s garbage collectors, urging Governor Johnson Sakaja to ensure proper oversight of waste disposal.
Beyond clean-up efforts, the government is pushing a large-scale tree-planting initiative to combat climate change. The target is to plant 15 billion trees by 2032.
Since January, 481 million trees have already been planted, part of the country’s response to the worsening climate crisis.
President William Ruto has rallied Kenyans to join the effort, calling on every citizen to plant at least 100 trees to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change.
The ambitious afforestation program aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and offset environmental degradation.
Duale capped off the Mazingira Day event by leading volunteers in cleaning sections of the Nairobi River, further underlining the government’s renewed focus on environmental sustainability.
Environment and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced the plan while putting companies responsible for polluting the river on notice.
“What you see behind me is not a river. In 18 months, we want to see a clean Nairobi,” Duale said during an event at the Nairobi Arboretum on Thursday.
He warned that companies, including slaughterhouses and Nairobi sewerage firms, must halt their polluting activities or face consequences.
The cleanup initiative, which covers the entire stretch of the Nairobi River from Naivasha Road to Athi River at Z-corner Juja Farm, is a key component of the government’s broader environmental conservation agenda.
Duale made the remarks while leading a celebration of Mazingira Day—formerly known as Utamaduni Day—a holiday dedicated to environmental preservation after being renamed earlier this year through the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendment Bill, 2024), signed by President William Ruto.
The holiday, marked on October 10, replaces the historical Moi Day, which was scrapped under the 2010 Constitution.
In addition to tackling Nairobi River pollution, Duale announced forthcoming changes in waste management practices, particularly in urban centers.
“We will soon gazette a color-coding system for waste in homes, separating recyclable from non-recyclable waste,” the CS said, signaling an effort to streamline waste collection and promote recycling.
Duale also called for accountability from Nairobi’s garbage collectors, urging Governor Johnson Sakaja to ensure proper oversight of waste disposal.
Beyond clean-up efforts, the government is pushing a large-scale tree-planting initiative to combat climate change. The target is to plant 15 billion trees by 2032.
Since January, 481 million trees have already been planted, part of the country’s response to the worsening climate crisis.
President William Ruto has rallied Kenyans to join the effort, calling on every citizen to plant at least 100 trees to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change.
The ambitious afforestation program aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and offset environmental degradation.
Duale capped off the Mazingira Day event by leading volunteers in cleaning sections of the Nairobi River, further underlining the government’s renewed focus on environmental sustainability.
