June 18, 2008: The Nairobi Metropolitan Development ministry has entered into a technical arrangement with Unep to bring rapid results in green initiatives. The two immediate projects on their agenda are cleaning up of the Nairobi River and solid waste management.
Previous attempts to tackle the twin problems suffered from private sector apathy and lack of political will. “I feel this time it will work because of the political commitment which was not previously there,” said Achim Steiner, the Unep executive director.
The new ministry needs up to Sh4 billion to clean-up the 200km stretch covered by the three rivers passing through the capital city.
It also faces the challenge of coming up with innovative ways to manage solid waste which is an eyesore with only one dumping site in Dandora , on the outskirts of the city.
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The initiative is worthwhile, my hope is that the clean-up project will also consider a molecular approach. This can be done via bioremediation by use of micr-organisms (a bacterial spp with certain DNA isolates) which accelerates solid waste digestion. Bio-filtration becomes a subsequent step this time using both bacteral and plant spp. I believe this will be the best option for a successful clean up process.
First of all, I’ll like to commend the Nairobi Metropolitan Development ministry for entering into such a technical arrangement with Unep for rapid results in green initiative. The two immediate projects that is on the agenda is a fantastic initiative. However, in the issue of the problem faced with coming up with innovative ways to manage solid waste which is an eyesore with only one dumping site in Dandora on the outskirts of the city, I’ve just concluded a similar research on river Ekulu in Enugu State and will soon submit the thesis I wrote on it to the Enugu state ministry of Environment. I’ll
say that a lasting solution to the problem requires a multifaceted and integrated approach to the problem which embraces not only bio-filtration which is only capable of cleaning up organic matter, but also certain other methods such as the ion-exchange technique, etc that would help to clean up the chemical sinks that may have been deposited from the domestic products such as insecticides, etc and lastly a psychological approach that would definitly require some other techniques so numerous to mention. I’m an Environmental Manager by profession, graduated from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka in Nigeria. I’m interested in the project and strongly believe I have lasting solutions to the problem if employed to help out.
I look forward to your reply on this. Thanks
Adaptation is a “win – win” strategy.Most adoptive actions geared to evaluate the quantity and quality of water resources call for coordination between surface and ground water programs be developed.
To address this need and to better detect and control the sources of non – point pollution the introduction of the river basin approach by use of its index of watershed indicators [IWI] for water shed managment is quite efficient for sustainable quantity and quality of water resources.
Having identified Nairobi river drainage within the Nairobi Central Business District [From Kijabe to Kariokor ] as a hotspot pollution zone with most of the pollution source from the Jua Kali indusrty artisans who reside along the rivers neighbourhood in Kibera, shauri Moyo and Dandora.
We would highly advocate for continuous public education that will encourage the community buy-in the acceptability of the Nairobi River Clean-up Project and this effort will encourage change in behavior that will create a more sustainable future in terms of enviroment integrity, economic viability and a just society for present and future generations.
As university of Nairobi graduates and members of the UNEP initiative known as Mainstreaming Environment and Sustainability into African Universities [MESA] Currently working as volunteers, educating the public on solid waste managment and river basin clean-up.
I and my collegue Mr Benard Mbogo Muriuki will be glad if you considered us for employment in your project.
This will help build success upon the project.
the clean up campaign for nairobi river is a good move fo ensuring environmental sustainability near and around the city(the surrounding environs)
make Nairobi river an exemplary environmetal rehabilitation. Its achievable and would have far reaching ramification in environ.management world over
The cleaning of Nairobi is very good idea, the problem may appear on the implementation of those ideas as I can remember several times such kind of projects have been carried over but still no remarkable changes so far!. This time please be realistic, we real need to see good environment and I am quite sure nairobi river is a good asset for all Kenyans, its such a wounderful treasury.
Cleaning Nairobi rive is a noble is a noble idea whose time is long overdue. However, i think it ould be a better idea to first identify the sources of this pollutions and stop or minimize them before embackinng on this cleaning up programme. It makes little sense to clean once while some one is busy polluting daily. STOP THE POLLUTERS FIRST!!!
Thanks goes to UNEP for trying to revive a dead river which runs across the city. The major task is the cleaning up and the second major task is how to maintain the river while serving it’s role purpose.
The govt of Kenya should be serious on this particular issue at least to provide opportunities for those living near the riverside. As a step forward, those living nearby should be educated on how to take-up the project after completion.
It is saddening to see how we do not take our natural resources as serious as we should. I hope and pray that the efforts towards rehabilitating our rivers will be successful and long lasting. The society needs to be educated coz we are the major polluters.
congratulations….thats is a very SMART move especially on the environment issues..still you can expound your activities to the nearby environments.
nairobi river can be well managed if only the communities living nera it are taught on ways to keep their environs clean. thanks.
Cleaning Nairobi River is a very great idea. Our Nairobi river is similar to Egypt Nile river that transverse the city of Cairo. The Nile river attract millions of tourist to Egypt. Hotels like carnivore, Marriott, Novotel, Grand Hyatt are on the bank of Nile River. Our Nairobi river is a gold not filth as many thinks.
I am looking for an organisation out there to help us conserve the source of Nairobi River, The Ondiri Conservancy, at Kikuyu town. Is there someone out there listening us. Please help us conserve the source of this treasure.
This year is the give kenyan excellnt work of cleaning nairobi river.