Sakaja leads Nairobi-wide clean-up as city collects 3,200 tonnes of garbage daily

The exercise has brought together about 4,500 Green Army personnel, county staff, residents and other stakeholders to clear garbage from neighbourhoods, roads, public spaces and drainage channels.

Nairobi collects about 3,200 tonnes of garbage daily, according to the county government, with the Green Army supporting waste collection, drainage clearance and maintenance of public spaces.

Sakaja urged residents, businesses and institutions to take responsibility for keeping their surroundings clean, including an area of at least 100 metres around their premises.

“Nairobi Lazima Iwork is not just about what the county government does. It is about what each one of us does. If every Nairobi resident takes responsibility for the space around them, keeps their neighbourhood clean and protects our drainage, we will build the Nairobi we all want to see,” Sakaja said.

He said the clean-up should continue beyond the current exercise, with residents expected to maintain cleanliness and avoid dumping waste in drainage channels.

The campaign is also part of the county's preparations for heavy rains, with teams focusing on removing waste that could block drainage systems and worsen flooding.

Sakaja has called on residents to participate in a citywide clean-up scheduled for October 10 to mark Mazingira Day.

The county government said the exercise will bring together residents, businesses, community groups and institutions to undertake environmental conservation activities in their respective areas.

Green Nairobi County Executive Committee Member Maureen Njeri said the campaign was intended to increase community participation in waste management.

“We want to move from a culture where residents wait for the county to clean their neighbourhoods to one where everyone takes responsibility for their surroundings. Green Nairobi belongs to all of us, and keeping the city clean must become a shared responsibility,” Njeri said.

The clean-up comes as the county advances plans to establish NCCG-Green Nairobi Limited Company as a county-owned entity responsible for waste-management operations.

The county formally inducted a seven-member Green Nairobi board in September, with environmentalist Dr Isaac Kalua as chairperson. The board was gazetted on August 14, 2026, for a three-year term.

Green Nairobi is expected to oversee functions including garbage collection, licensing of waste collectors, maintenance of public spaces and coordination of waste-management activities.

Sakaja said the county was also seeking to move away from a system focused mainly on collecting and dumping waste towards one that incorporates waste processing and recycling.

The 4,500-member Green Army will continue supporting the county's immediate clean-up operations, including garbage collection and drainage clearance across the city.

The county has urged residents to avoid dumping waste in drainage channels, particularly ahead of the October-February rainy period, saying blocked waterways can increase the risk of flooding.