3rd September 2012
TRANSFORMING WASTE MANAGEMENT IN KENYA.
On the 1st of September 2012, we continued our national awareness campaign to sensitize Kenyans on the need for cleaner and safer environments. We joined Kirigiti Market leaders in Kiambu in a function that was organized by Mr. Andrew Kanja, a local leader. Later in the afternoon, we joined Gor Mahia Football Club at City Stadium and after the match, recognized them with certificates for having participated in cleaning Nairobi during the World Environment Day on 5th of June 2012. They have resolved to lead the way as the most environmentally friendly team in Kenya.
On 15th this month, we will join Kisumu residents and the Municipal Council of Kisumu led by His Worship the Mayor and the Town Clerk for the monthly cleanup of Kisumu City.
The last few months, we set out on a transformative agenda, to rid our neighborhoods, streets, towns and cities of garbage and filth. The cost of unmanaged garbage and filth to this economy is enormous. The cost of medical care from communicable diseases especially in informal settlements is growing while the underlying solution is to make our environments cleaner and safer. Dump sites within neighborhoods cannot be countenanced in this age and era when waste can be converted into products.
We thus set out on a massive environmental awareness and cleanup campaign which has taken us across estates in Nairobi, towns and cities across Kenya. In all these areas, we launched the Monthly Nationwide Cleanup Campaign. We are happy to report that today, several groups and some Councils have made this a regular practice. However, we are also beginning the campaign to convert waste to products. Two Consultative Forums held on 11th July and 28th August 2012 brainstormed on the challenges and The Practical Steps to ensure we can begin this process.
The case studies presented in The 2nd Forum convinced all present that waste is gold waiting to be mined.
Again, we are happy to announce that we are putting in place The Practical Steps. We are also happy to announce that our key partners, many of whom participated in the formulation of these steps have already moved with speed to discuss with TCKC how to institute these within the time limits set. In this regard, I want to commend Bamburi Cement, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, Oxfam GB, Concern International and Foresight Technologies. They have shown a great interest in ensuring the Practical Steps are implemented. We shall be discussing with them how best they can partner and be of support to this process. We also appreciate Bamburi Cement for their presentation and believe we shall be able to transform that dream of making cement from waste a reality. We strongly believe this only requires goodwill from government and with it will come opportunities for youth and of course, low cost of cement and more so, our Towns will be Clean.
In our programs, we have set out to facilitate through partner training and apprenticeship in waste management for youth, information sharing, documenting data on waste management initiatives/practices, up scaling and capacity building of existing initiatives, bench marking best practices, producing literature on waste management, inviting technologies in waste management and above all, drive a national agenda on waste management. Incidentally, on Friday, TCKC had a consultative meeting with Foresight Technologies Limited that has a variety of low cost technological initiatives for informal settlements and rural communities including schools. We will be discussing these with The Ministry of Education who have been part of this campaign.
As we continue with this Journey of Hope across Kenya, the desire to live in cleaner neighborhoods for both the rich and the poor, the desire to create opportunities for our unemployed youth, the desire to make our cities models that can attract both investment and tourism; we want to thank key partners who have already joined this initiative to propel our outreach, our awareness, sensitization and cleanup campaigns, those who are coming on board to facilitate the implementation of the Practical Steps, we say a big thank you.
We shall not tire to bestow on you the commendations for believing in a Clean Kenya. The Public Service Transformation Department at the OPM, A Better World/SOF-DI, Akiba Uhaki Foundation and Mugomo Communications Limited and the many friends of The Clean Kenya Campaign have made us make it this far. As we turn 50 years on the 1st of June next year, we will take stock and definitely, your support to this initiative shall have made a mark. Cleaner cities and towns is one deliverable we have set out to achieve as we celebrate our Silver Jubilee.
Meanwhile, let us all join and support Innovation and Green Buildings category of the Annual Energy Management (EMA) Awards initiated by Kenya Association of Manufacturers-KAM. This category will recognize buildings that have embraced concepts that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle.
We are proud to be associated with this initiative.
Best Regards,
Otieno Sungu,
Programmes Manager,
The Clean Kenya Campaign-TCKC,
0729294743,
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