Yesterday, the 19th of September 2012, we held our 2nd planning session with the market leaders of all the 53 markets in Nairobi. The Clean Kenya Campaign-TCKC working in partnership with the market leaders and the City Council of Nairobi-CCN plan the launch of a sustained cleaning, upgrading and face-lift of all our markets. This is where our foodstuff comes from and we must be disturbed at the deplorable state in which most are.
After attending our 2nd Consultative Forum on Waste Management at the KICC on the 28th Aug. 2012, the market leaders made a resolve to play their part in cleaning and maintaining cleanliness. They have in turn asked the CCN to also play its role effectively to ensure we have cleaner and safer markets.
Yesterday's planning meeting was hosted by the CCN and Mr. Geoffrey Kihoro, Deputy Director of Environment represented the Council. Also in attendance was Mr. Robert Kiriago, the Senior Markets Superintendent, Mr. Wanjohi of Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation representing the Chief Public Health officer at the Ministry Dr. Kepha Ombacho, Madam Margaret, DO Makadara representing the Provincial Administration and the Chair-lady of Nairobi Market Traders Society-NMTS was also present.
The following were matters addressed;
Follow up on the request to the City Council of Nairobi by market leaders for provision of;
1. Regular Cleaning and security services for all markets.
2. Provision of water services to markets.
3. Painting and face-lifting of markets.
4. Re-carpeting of market floors.
5. Unclogging drainage systems within and around markets.
6. Provision of electricity within all markets.
7. Provision of designated waste collection points/receptacles for waste.
In his presentation of behalf of The Clean Kenya Campaign-TCKC, Mr Otieno Sungu reminded the traders of the rallying call that a clean Kenya begins with each one of us. As we take responsibility, we want to focus on service delivery. This way, we can compliment the efforts of those offering services and also demand quality services from those whose performance is wanting. He noted and appreciated the various public servants who have come out strongly to ensure the issue of waste is managed in a better manner. He informed the traders of the plans of continued massive national awareness and sensitization coupled with training in waste management that TCKC and partners have embarked on. His rallying call to all; councils, traders, corporate, schools and colleges, government departments, organizations and private citizens was that we strive to make our towns and cities cleaner and safer by the 1st June 2013 as we celebrate our Silver Jubilee.
Mr. Wanjohi reminded all that despite the right in the constitution for a clean environment for all, we should make this a personal initiative that takes care of our personal health. He pledged that his Ministry will support this initiative. In line with this, we wish to indicate that we will be following up on the pledges made by The Minister for Public Health and Sanitation, Hon. Beth Mugo for provision of waste receptacles for Separation of Waste as we begin the market clean ups. We will also be following up with The Prime Minister's office, The Ministry of Education, The Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan Development and The Ministry of Environment on specific policy directions that they have made in our past events. We would wish to ensure that what is said in these forums is translated into action and implemented for the benefit of residents. We will also take follow up with various stakeholders who have indicated interest in ensuring decent, cleaner and safer environments especially people living in informal settlements.
Mr.Geoffrey Kihoro, Deputy Director for Environment at the CCN took note of all the concerns of the traders and pledged that these will be addressed in due course. He commended the initiative and the markets traders for coming forth to clean our markets and to compliment the efforts of the City Council of Nairobi. He also welcomed the idea of inviting corporates to help face lift our markets through branding. TCKC will be engaging specific corporates in this regard.
He lamented about the challenges the council faces especially in terms of staffing and resources. The council has about 11, 000 employees in total and about 800 in the Department of Environment. It also has about 8 working trucks to collect all garbage in Nairobi thus having to contract a further 20 trucks at a cost of Ksh. 40 million monthly to compliment their capacity.
While we appreciate these challenges, we would also wish to point out to the council to use resources prudently. It would make much more sense to spend Ksh. 40 million monthly to buy at least 4 trucks every month and within 1 year, the Council would have a total of 48 trucks, within 2 years, the council would be able to build their capacity to provide trucks for all the divisions of Nairobi. In essence, the years after that, the council should only be spending funds on service and fuel. Such trucks can be bought on a loan arrangement.
These are the priorities we wish to engage the Council on to better services to residents. Unless there are vested interests that prevent such basic and reasonable thinking, the council should do better on planning. We welcome the CCN's efforts in solid waste management, but it must go beyond doing Master Plans like they did in 1998 only to review the same in 2010 without implementing. This is not acceptable.
We must also appreciate the Media Houses who have come on board to help us drive this trans-formative national agenda. Family TV(which has been hosting us for their Friday 8.00pm Program-It is All in the Family), GBS TV who not only covered our forum but followed up with a panorama, The Star Newspaper, The Citizen Weekly both who have been prominently featuring our articles, Kiss FM, Radio Waumini and Radio Umoja, all who are driving this sensitization through offering us airtime to speak to Kenyans. We appreciate your belief that Kenya can be cleaner and safer at 50 next year.We welcome the rest to join in making Kenya a clean country of efficient service delivery.
We are also planning, with organized groups, partners and residents of Kibera a massive operation to remove all the waste in Kibera streams in the coming weeks, we will announce the specific dates soon.Fellow Kenyans must not be reduced to living like animals while we watch. We must provide leadership in resolving the overwhelming waste in that area.Life in informal settlements must not be a resignation to filth, diseases and lack of service delivery.This is social injustice.
In the meantime, we wish to announce that we have acquired office space courtesy of one of our main sponsors, A Better World SOF-DI. We are happy that they have now structured their support to this campaign to carter for office and some logistics. We also appreciate the office hosting we received from Mugumo Communications Limited for the last year.
We will be focusing on implementing the Practical Steps agreed upon during our 2nd Consultative Forum and in this regard, we will follow up with all who have shown interest in moving this process forward. We must also not forget that efficient, satisfactory and timely service delivery is a key component in sorting out the mess that is garbage in our towns and cities.
We look forward to more structured sponsorship for this initiative as we continue our programs currently focusing on cleanups and awareness campaigns, training on separation and conversion of waste as well as documenting waste management initiatives for up scaling, consolidating, complimenting, bench marking, show casing best practices, information/knowledge sharing and building capacities.
Programs Manager.
The Clean Kenya Campaign-TCKC
Tel; 0729 29 4743
From: odhiambo okecth <komarockswatch@yahoo.com>
To: the last word to kenya <thelastwordtokenya@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: talknigeria@yahoogroups.com; Vugu Vugu <vuguvugumashinani@yahoogroups.com>; Wanabidii <wanabidii@googlegroups.com>; wananchi@yahoogroups.com; Watchman <watchman@nation.co.ke>; Weekly Citizen <citnewspaper@yahoo.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2012 9:16 AM
Subject: RE: Clean ups; Are they effective?
Thank you John.
It is gratifying to note that the vested interests will never sleep easy. And it is good to note that you have had a similar case in South Africa.
We have smoked them out of their lair and we will not relent.
In our meeting with the City Council of Nairobi and the Nairobi Market Traders Society yesterday at City Hall, I saw lethargy first hand, not that they will scare us, No, we will simply run them out of Town and out of office.
Sample this; The Cash Trapped Council has only 8 working Garbage Collection Trucks and they are spending Kshs 40 Million every month to hire 20 Private Garbage Collection Trucks! And yet, we do not see what these 20 Garbage Trucks are doing for the residents of Nairobi!
Is this prudent management of Public Resources?
I bet no. Because, you can spend the Kshs 40 Million every Month to buy 4 well equipped and Modern Garbage Collection Trucks and in 12 Months, you will have 48 well Equipped Garbage Collection Trucks. The rest of the Years, your wage Bill on Garbage Collection will go down drastically and you shall have achieved two crucial things; saved the Council of some Money and made the work of the Environment Officers easier.
But who cares?
Kenyans must hence join in and demand that we see action, not conferencing on waste issues. The ammount of money being wasted on conferencing can make great Transformation for Kenya.
But the sad reality on the ground is, even with UNEP being Headquartered in Nairobi, we have nothing to show for this. They are not offering leadership on environmental issues as they ought to do. This is pathetic and UNEP should be removed from Kenya and taken some other place.
With this kind of inept leadership, we cannot definitely realize the objects of Vision 2030.
I will be hosted at 8pm on Friday at All in the Family Programme at the Family TV and I will talk about this careless attitude we all seem to have towards ourselves and in Public Service.
Let us all work for a Clean Kenya as a Transformative Deliverable as we turn 50.
Odhiambo T Oketch,
Executive Director, The Clean Kenya Campaign-TCKC The Clean Kenya Campaign is an Initiative of The KCDN Kenya.
--- On Wed, 9/19/12, John Kieser <John.Kieser@plasticssa.co.za> wrote:
From: John Kieser <John.Kieser@plasticssa.co.za>
Subject: RE: Clean ups; Are they effective?
To: "odhiambo okecth" <komarockswatch@yahoo.com>, "KCA" <kca_main@yahoogroups.com>, "Kenya Community" <kc-ab@yahoogroups.ca>, "Kenya Canada" <kenya-can@yahoogroups.com>, "Kenya Club" <kenyaclub@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: "Guardian" <letters@guardian.co.uk>, "Jaluo.com" <jaluo@jaluo.com>, "Kenva" <KENVA@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Wednesday, September 19, 2012, 2:37 AM
Dear Odhiambo. This question is one that will disappear with time as you start showing a positive tract record on the basis of your enthusiasm. I answered that same question some time ago and I hope you can learn something out of our experience in South Africa. "Municipalities consist of people who looks at the actions of their citizens for issues of concern on a local level. A clean environment is one of the great needs of all of us. Local authorities also realise that a clean environment does not just constitute a happier citizenry but also supports tourism and shows that they are working. Municipalities consist of humans who also want to live in a city/town to be proud upon. Central and provincial government is also in the same league." Carry on with the hard work. You seem to have the same problem that we have experienced but it has been eroded during the years of our efforts. (It does re-occur every now especially if there is a "new broom" and they see the issue of cleanups as a cash cow). I had an e-mail bantering with a new ogre this year during this year's International Coastal Cleanup and you are refer to them in your letter and these are individuals who believe more in cosmetics and to some degree green washing. Being on social media seems to be more important to them than getting the work done. Also the amount of people that use the "monster" of littering as a mean to make money out of has also shown its head again. They can create the veneer that a company is being responsible for a better environment. Cleanups do work! This gets strengthened as you persist in your actions. John Kieser Environmental Manager - Coastal Provinces International Coastal Cleanup Coordinator
Phone + 27 21 591 5512 | fax + 86 615 8308 | mobile: 073 775 8561 Plastics|SA represents the plastics industry of South Africa. Its members represent all sectors of the SA Plastics Industry including polymer producers and importers, converters, machine suppliers and recyclers. The plastics chain in South Africa employs over 63 000 people, and is defined as a priority sector by Government. The combined turnover of the industry is some R 35 billion per annum and consumption is approx 1,350 million ton per annum. Plastics|SA operates from three centres: the Head Office in Midrand, Gauteng and the two regional centres located in Pinetown KZN and in Cape Town. Plastics|SA provides industry training and drives the plastics industry Environmental initiative. From: odhiambo okecth [mailto:komarockswatch@yahoo.com]
Sent: 19 September 2012 07:08 AM
To: KCA; Kenya Community; Kenya Canada; Kenya Club
Cc: Guardian; Jaluo.com; Kenva
Subject: Clean ups; Are they effective? Friends,
The Clean Kenya Campaign has elevated the question of Municipal Solid Waste Management, or its absence, to new levels in Kenya.
We have sent many Journeymen scampering in all direction with our bold and well grounded approach to the question of Waste Management through our combined approach of Awareness and Clean-up Campaigns.
Now, I have heard this tired thinking from some quarters for some while now; Are Clean-ups effective? And I want to respond to these journeymen in very clear terms- Clean-ups are very effective.
Now, the team that has been asking this tired question are technocrats who have all the means at their disposals and yet, they have failed miserably to manage our waste across Kenya.
The other team that has been asking this question are the perpetual conference goers. They do nothing except hope from one conference to another, just to talk.
At The Clean Kenya Campaign, and with minimal resources, we have been able to host meaningful Consultative Forums before and after all our Clean-ups. In these Forums, we discuss real issues that affect us. No theories like the conference goers. And the result of this has been the massive turn outs by Kenyans in all the Clean-ups that we host.
For the journeymen, they wake up in the morning and head for a Clean-up without any prior consultation with the people and they expect to see Kenyans joining with them. They have resources that can be used for mass mobilization, but they opt to print T-Shirts and find any other convenient means of skimming Government Funds in the names of hosting a Clean-up.
Definitely, this can never work. Instead of mobilizing Kenyans to know why we need to keep our Towns and Neighbourhoods Clean, they are busy looking for how best to spend funds in areas that have no bearing to the actual Clean-ups and Awareness Campaign. They spend no funds in Awareness Campaigns and then they turn around to ask this tired question; Are Clean-ups effective?
We also have the question of commitment. How can you succeed with a process you are not committed to? The Clean Kenya Campaign Team is committed to working for a Clean Kenya, and we have proved that a Clean Kenya is possible. But some technocrats who are mandated to keep our Country Clean are not committed to the oath of their office.
If one is not committed to a course, it will never succeed. This is the scenario that has been obtaining from many of our Councils. There has been no commitment on the part of the top leadership to ensure that Clean-ups are a success story. However, look at what is taking place in Kisumu now?
The people of Kisumu under the leadership of KICOCEN have taken to the Clean ups as their way of supporting a Council that is proving that it is committed to keeping Kisumu Clean. In Kisumu, their is commitment right from His Worship the Mayor Cllr Sam Okello, the Town Clerk Chris Rusana and the Director of Environment John Sande.
This team have even opened a Facebook Page- kisumu environ and their commitment and dedication to keeping Kisumu Clean is paying off through the massive turn outs in the clean-ups.
We have also seen commitment and support from the Town Clerks in Mombasa and Eldoret. We are now seeing some enthusiasm in Nairobi from the Town Clerk, the Deputy Town Clerk and the Assistant Town Clerk Reforms. But we are yet to see any commitment from the Director of Environment.
So, how can a bunch that has never been committed to Clean-ups, never factored any serious budgetary allocation to power the Clean-ups, and never tried even in any one day to mobilize for a Clean-up be the judges that conference with this tired thinking?
I would appreciate the question of how effective the Clean-ups are, if the process failed despite commitment and support. But this question coming from conference goers means very little to us.
Lastly, in Rwanda the Clean ups have been a resounding success. Do you think that the Clean-ups just happen by themselves? No. There is commitment and support right from the Presidency. I am yet to see this kind of commitment and support in Kenya to warrant these journeymen start the debate of hoe effective Clean-ups are.
I will be hosted at 8pm on Friday at All in the Family Programme at the Family TV and I will talk about this careless attitude we all seem to have towards ourselves and in Public Service.
Let us all work for a Clean Kenya as a Transformative Deliverable as we turn 50.
Odhiambo T Oketch,
Executive Director,
The Clean Kenya Campaign-TCKC The Clean Kenya Campaign is an Initiative of The KCDN Kenya. My friend i think those who will read this article especially the mostly concerned will wake from their deep SLEEP
Peter Mathu - Coach Friends,
I am forwarding this Report; Trash and Tragedy, to you with heavy heart.
It is a damning report of our incompetence, or rather, the incompetence of the Guest Lists who read these kind of reports. The sad reality is, these are people who are employed by the Government and the UN Agencies, not to come and read such damning reports, but to help us solve such issues.
How come, after several such reports, we are still converging to listen to more and more of the same, from the same Government and UN Officers whose failure we are living with?
Let this be the last report we are seeing on Waste and Garbage. Let us now converge the next time to look at the results of our actions; what we have initiated to remedy this sorry state.
Concern Worldwide and her Partners have done some tremendous work in documenting this massive failure on Leadership. We cannot live like this 50 Years into Independence and still proclaim at the roof tops our rights to self determination.
We cannot live like this and still have a Team of incompetent professionals managing the question of Waste Management in Kenya. It is annoying. It is very annoying when fellow Kenyans are living in such filth and we behave as if all is well.
No. Time has come when we must roll our sleeves and take head on the vested interest groups who have made us live like pigs. The good thing is, we have a Team of Technocrats in Government now, Men and Women who believe that a Clean Kenya at 50 is possible, and we are working with them to ensure that a Clean Kenya is achieved as a Transformative Agenda for our Motherland.
We at The Clean Kenya Campaign would like to work with all willing Kenyans to ensure that we sort this mess. The people who have brought us to this level must be ashamed of how their Professional Incompetence has killed many innocent Kenyans.
Shame on you for doing nothing for Mother Kenya. Shame on you for being a Vested Interest on this Trash and Tragedy befalling Kenyans and Mother Kenya.
I will be hosted at 8pm on Friday at All in the Family Programme at the Family TV and I will talk about this careless attitude we all seem to have towards ourselves and in Public Service.
Let us all work for a Clean Kenya as a Transformative Deliverable as we turn 50.
Odhiambo T Oketch,
Executive Director,
The Clean Kenya Campaign-TCKC The Clean Kenya Campaign is an Initiative of The KCDN Kenya. Ivy Ndiewo | Communication and Documentation Officer | Concern Worldwide Kenya
Concern Worldwide | Kenya |Tel Number +254 3755051/2/3/4/5
Concern Worldwide: Working with the world's poorest people to transform their lives. 'Concern' is the trading name of 'Concern Worldwide', a company limited by guarantee, registered number 39647, registered charity number CHY 5745, registered in Ireland, registered address is 52-55 Lower Camden Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.
This electronic message and any attached files are a confidential communication and are intended only for the addressee indi-cated in the message (or the person duly authorised to be responsible for the delivery of the message to such addressee). If you are not the intended recipient of this communication or have received it in error, any disclosure, copying, distribution, or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. Please note that any views, opinions or advice contained in this communication are those of the sending individual and not necessarily those of Concern. If you have received this communication in error, please contact the sender immediately at: Concern, 52-55 Lower Camden Street, Dublin. 2, Ireland, Tel: +353 (1) 4177700, Website: http://www.concern.net. |
|
|
|
|
|
0 comments:
Post a Comment