National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has nabbed Machakos County Government official for unlawful disposal of wastes in the town.
According to charge sheets seen by this writer, Machakos County Government director of environment Nicholas Nzioka has been charged with two offenses; discharging and disposing wastes to undesignated sites contrary to Environmental Management and Coordination Act 1999 and Transporting, disposing hazardous waste without valid license against the same law.
NEMA Machakos County Director of Environment Kennedy Odhiambo said the county government has created an illegal waste damping site in the town where it damped garbage at night thereby posing health risks to residents.
Odhiambo accused the county government of failing to comply with NEMA laws even after the institution charged with regulation of waste matter disposal given clear guidelines and procedures on safe waste disposals.
"It’s unfortunate that the county government has ignored guidelines and procedures of safe waste disposal, provided by NEMA. Instead it is damping garbage illegally hence pausing health risks to residents," said Odhiambo.
The director condemned the act arguing that the damping site was illegal since it had not been gazetted on Kenya Gazette as stipulated in the law.
He said the county government had no authority to damp the garbage on the land even if they owned it arguing it did not meet requirements to be used as damping site.
Odhiambo said all garbage should be buried six feet under ground arguing that the asbestos wastes which had been damped on the site from Machakos Level Five Hospital could cause cancer or asbestosis diseases since they are hazardous wastes.
He warned that damping charges are punitive and can go up to Sh2 million fine or five year term jail hence need for the county government's leadership to be more careful while damping garbage so as to avoid further breach of law.
"As much as NEMA wishes to work well with the Machakos County Government, we will not compromise the quality of environment for the sake of relationship," said Odhiambo.
Odhiambo said the county chief who had been released on Shs10,000 cash bail will be arraigned in court soon arguing NEMA was committed to ensuring that all laws on wastes and environment was duly adhered to by both leaderships within county and national governments and general public at large.
The officer asked the county government to work closely with NEMA to ensure that locals live in clean and healthy environments.