Kisii Governor Paul Simba Arati on Sunday, September 20, led World Cleanup Day celebrations, showcasing major waste management projects that transformed a former dumpsite into a public park and established a new waste recovery facility in the county.
Speaking during the national celebrations held in Kisii, Arati said the county had decommissioned the Nyambera dumpsite and converted the site into a green recreational park as part of efforts to prevent environmental and public health risks associated with unmanaged waste.
“Where a mountain of garbage once stood, there is a green recreational park where the people of Kisii walk, rest and breathe clean air,” Arati said.
He said the transformation was necessary to avoid the kind of disasters seen in other African cities, where poorly managed landfills have collapsed, causing deaths and destroying property.
The governor cited deadly landfill collapses in Kampala, Uganda, and Conakry, Guinea, as examples of the dangers posed by unmanaged waste sites.
“Kisii will not mourn, Kisii will lead,” Arati said.
The governor noted that Kisii Municipality continues to experience rapid population growth, increasing pressure on waste management services.
According to county estimates, Kisii generates about 200 tonnes of waste daily, with higher volumes recorded on market days.
He said most of the waste is organic and could be recovered for productive use if properly separated at the source.
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Arati added that the county had shifted from relying on dumpsites towards promoting a circular economy in which waste is reused, recycled and recovered.
Landmark Waste Recovery Facility
The governor announced that Kisii has established a Materials Recovery Facility at the Kisii Agricultural Training Center with support from the United Kingdom government through the Sustainable Urban Economic Development program.
“We have established a Materials Recovery Facility at the Kisii Agricultural Training Center, the first of its kind in this region,” Arati said.
The facility can process up to 50 tonnes of waste per day and includes a Black Soldier Fly unit that converts organic waste into animal feed and organic fertilizer.
Arati said the facility would help reduce the amount of waste going to landfills while creating value from materials previously discarded.
The plant also features a weighbridge that will enable the county to collect accurate data on waste volumes and improve planning for waste management programs.
He said the county was implementing the Sustainable Waste Management Act, 2022, with a focus on waste segregation at source and increased recovery of recyclable materials.
The governor urged residents to separate waste at home and in businesses and embrace recycling as part of efforts to build cleaner urban centers.
Simba Arati on Jobs and Investment
Arati said the county’s Kazi Mashinani program has also supported environmental conservation while creating employment opportunities for local residents.
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Under the initiative, youth and women are engaged in regular cleanup exercises, clearing drainage systems and maintaining public spaces across the county.
He said about 2,000 people benefit from the program every month, with the figure expected to reach about 24,000 residents annually.
The governor further said Kisii was seeking investors in waste-to-energy projects, commercial composting, paper manufacturing and recycling industries.
He pledged incentives for private-sector players willing to partner with the county to develop sustainable waste management solutions.
Arati also announced plans to finalize county policies and by-laws to strengthen waste management and enforce proper disposal practices.
He warned that individuals who violate environmental regulations would face prosecution in the Municipal Court, with revenue from penalties used to support public education on responsible waste management.
The county is also exploring opportunities to earn carbon credits through organic waste recovery as part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen environmental sustainability programs.
The World Cleanup Day celebrations brought together national government officials, development partners, environmental agencies and local leaders to promote sustainable waste management practices and cleaner communities across the country.
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