NAIROBI, Kenya — Nairobi Chief Officer for Citizen Engagement and Customer Service Geoffrey Mosiria has called for the immediate revocation of licenses belonging to private waste service providers accused of returning to illegal dumping sites that had been officially closed by the county.
In a statement on Sunday, December 8, Mosiria said that complaints began to emerge shortly after he transitioned from the county’s environment docket, with some providers allegedly resuming dumping at the shuttered sites.
He added that county enforcement teams had faced increasing hostility from individuals hired to obstruct the crackdown.
“We came here to close these sites, but the goons tried to attack the officers and are trying to resist,” Mosiria said during an inspection tour.
“I know youths are just trying to earn a living, and you should do that by applying for jobs like Climate Works, which will help in cleaning the River Nairobi. The goons that are trying to resist, we want to tell you that we do not fear you; you will be arrested and taken to court because we are not living here until we close this illegal dumping.”
According to Mosiria, despite multiple notices issued by the Nairobi Environment Department, some private collectors had ignored county directives and continued to offload waste at the sites, which the county had previously declared environmental hazards.
He said the renewed dumping had resulted in heavy pollution, deteriorating air quality, and heightened public health risks for nearby residents.
“I personally visited the site to confirm the report, and indeed, the dumping has started again,” he said. “The area is heavily polluted, and the air quality alone is unsafe for human breathing. I will be taking this matter up with the Environment team for immediate action to have the site closed permanently.”
Mosiria stated that he will pursue legal action against the business owners involved and follow up on the cancellation of licenses for the companies implicated.
In his remarks, the chief officer also highlighted the county’s earlier proposal to establish a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) as a structured alternative to uncontrolled dumping. He said the offer remains open for groups willing to comply with environmental regulations.
“While in office, we had proposed a proper solution to help these groups establish a well-organized Material Recovery Facility, where they can earn decently without polluting the environment,” he said. “That offer for structured support and full compliance still stands.”
Beyond waste dumping, Mosiria raised alarm over a separate but related public health threat—individuals washing and reselling used carrier bags using sewage-contaminated water along the Nairobi River. He said the bags were being supplied to major markets, including Gikomba.
“Today, I encountered something that left me deeply shaken,” he said. “I found a man washing used carrier bags right next to the Nairobi River using filthy sewer water. When I approached him, he calmly told me that he had orders from Gikomba and that he is paid just Sh200 for the job.”
Mosiria called on manufacturers to enforce safe collection, recycling, and disposal systems, warning that the reuse of contaminated bags poses serious health risks to unsuspecting buyers.
The county government is expected to coordinate with law enforcement and public health departments as it intensifies crackdowns on illegal dumping, environmental violations, and unsafe recycling practices.
