Nairobi County Environment Chief Officer Geoffrey Mosiria has issued a stern warning to landlords and tenants in Pipeline Estate as part of a renewed crackdown on illegal waste dumping in the city.
In a statement released on Sunday, Mosiria announced that a fresh round of cleaning and road rehabilitation will resume this week in the densely populated estate. The exercise will include backfilling damaged road sections caused by wastewater discharge and indiscriminate garbage dumping.
“Despite previous warnings, some tenants continue to dispose of waste unlawfully, with landlords turning a blind eye. Moving forward, we shall apprehend both tenants and landlords found responsible for unlawfully dumping. This is the only way to restore order, uphold the law, and ensure our city remains clean and livable for all,” Mosiria declared.
Her remarks come after sustained public pressure from Nairobi residents, many of whom questioned why her clean-up campaigns had avoided overcrowded areas like Pipeline. In response, Mosiria made an unannounced visit to the area on July 16, where she interacted with residents and inspected the state of the roads and waste disposal practices.
During the impromptu meeting, Mosiria cited the Nairobi City County Solid Waste Management Act of 2015, which mandates that premises owners are responsible for maintaining cleanliness within a 10-metre radius of their property. She criticized many landlords in the area for failing to subscribe to garbage collection services, thereby forcing tenants to dump waste on roadsides.
“It’s unfortunate that many landlords in Pipeline do not pay for garbage collection services. As a result, their tenants, lacking proper waste disposal options, are forced to dispose of household waste directly onto the roads, posing serious health and environmental risks,” she stated.
To address the crisis, Mosiria urged landlords to contract licensed Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) or private waste collectors who deliver garbage to designated sites like Dandora dumpsite. The initiative, she said, is aimed at restoring sanity and cleanliness in the estate.
The crackdown, she affirmed, will continue until all residents comply with Nairobi’s waste management laws
