NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 3 – City residents on Tuesday woke up to heaps of uncollected garbage, after garbage collectors contracted by City Hall downed their tools due to non–payment.
The garbage is said to have been littered by aggrieved workers who went round Nairobi’s Central Business District emptying bins onto the streets.
Nairobi residents passing by the streets filled with filth expressed displeasure urging City Hall to move with speed and sort the mess.
“The County and the National government should now work towards restoring the City’s lost glory, it’s a shame to see a Capital city littered in this manner. This is totally unacceptable,” said a books and newspaper vendor outside Naivas Supermarket along Moi Avenue.
“This is a capital city, we cannot live like this,” a shoe shiner along Agha Walk remarked.
“It’s so unfortunate that a big city like Nairobi can be this filthy and smelly just because some people didn’t do their responsibility,” said Mark Mutua, a city dweller.
Nairobi County Executive Committee Member for Environment Larry Wambua told Capital FM News the strike by contracted garbage collectors is as a result of non-payment of the contractors.
“This has been caused by non-payment especially the contractor who collects within CBD hasn’t been paid for close to four months now,” said Wambua.
He said the confusion in the Finance Department is to be blame for the mess, saying it’s not clear who the actual occupant of the office is.
Chief Officer Economic Planning Washington Makondigo however refuted the assertions saying the Finance Department was operational , adding that it’s the work of the Environment department to forward the list of contractors to be paid.
“Nothing has stalled in the finance department, they are the ones sleeping on their job,” he said.
Last month, City Hall announced plans to sign a contract with the National Youth Service to assist in garbage collection in the city.
That has however not been effected.
About The Author
