- NEMA has directed Nairobi County to remove waste dumped outside Kenya Power’s Stima Plaza.
- The agency also ordered the county to properly cover garbage trucks to prevent waste spillage.
- Nairobi County had dumped the waste in a dispute over a Ksh3 billion electricity bill.
- Kenya Power accuses the county of also cutting water supply and blocking sewage at its offices.
- The county claims Kenya Power owes billions in land rates and wayleaves.
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has ordered Nairobi County to clear the waste it dumped outside Kenya Power’s Stima Plaza in a protest over unpaid bills.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, February 25, NEMA’s Environmental Education Director, Ayub Macharia, directed the county to remove both the garbage and the parked waste trucks. He emphasized that Stima Plaza was not a gazetted dumpsite.
“We are issuing an order to the Nairobi County Government to ensure these garbage trucks are removed from here. The waste must be disposed of properly, and county governments must obtain the necessary licenses from NEMA to formalize waste management operations,” Macharia stated.
NEMA also raised concerns over the uncovered garbage trucks used in waste transportation, warning that they pose environmental and health hazards.
County vs. Kenya Power: A Battle Over Bills
The garbage dumping incident is the latest escalation in a financial dispute between Nairobi County and Kenya Power. The county accuses the utility firm of failing to pay billions in land rates and wayleaves, while Kenya Power insists the county owes Ksh3 billion in electricity bills.
“We noted a disconnection of water supply at Stima Plaza and Electricity House in the CBD. There has also been a blockage of sewage in those two locations. This morning, we saw this heap of garbage,” said Kenya Power’s General Manager for Commercial Services, Rosemary Oduor.
On the other hand, Nairobi County Secretary Godfrey Akumali defended the move, arguing that Kenya Power must also fulfill its financial obligations.
“In the same way they ask the rest of us to pay electricity bills, they have a duty and responsibility to pay Nairobi County for the services we offer, including wayleaves and land rates,” Akumali stated.
With NEMA stepping in, Nairobi County is expected to clear the waste and comply with environmental regulations. However, the financial standoff between the county and Kenya Power remains unresolved, raising concerns about further retaliatory actions.
