Garbage disposal at Dandora landfill. [PHOTO/nation.co.ke]
An union of Nairobi waste collectors is calling upon the Nairobi governor to quickly address the issues that make waste management an uphill task in the city.
Addressing the media at City Hall on Friday, Waste and Environment Management Association of Kenya (Wemak) chairperson Chege Kariuki introduced a raft of issues that included zoning tenders, high licensing costs, sorting stations, poor access roads as well as the recent polythene bags ban.
They said that if these issues are addressed conclusively, the city will be rid of the loads of garbage it currently sits in.
"We implore you to allow free and fair competition in the waste management industry, which is possible through non-biased enforcement of the laws as pertains this industry," Kariuki said as quoted by Nation.
He asked the governor to shun monopoly in the sector since that is what had bedeviled the waste management of previous regimes.
"Please see the effect of a monopolized approach from what has happened to our CBD and other areas.
"Increased poor performance became the fruit of monopoly," he said.
Kariuki also urged the governor to scrap unnecessary licences like tipping fees, road licence fees, and payment for alleged security at the Dandora dump-site charged on private garbage operators.
"We currently pay authority licence fee at Sh20,000 per vehicle per year, tipping fees charged at Sh1,000 per truck on every trip to Dandora dump site, Nema licence at Sh5,000 shillings annually....and these costs are a major burden," he added.