Kakamega County has stepped up efforts to improve waste management through waste separation, recycling, and outsourced cleaning services in a bid to maintain a clean and healthy environment.
Jacob Juma Shamala, the Chief Public Health Officer in charge of environmental matters in Kakamega Municipality, said waste management was a devolved function and the county government had put in place measures to ensure waste is properly managed from the source, storage, and transportation to treatment and final disposal.
He said Kakamega Municipality has been divided into five zones, with private companies contracted to undertake cleaning services, including clearing drainage systems and collecting waste and transporting it to the designated disposal site at Rosterman.
The companies are monitored on a daily basis by the municipality to ensure they adhere to their terms of reference and maintain cleanliness in their respective areas.
Shamala said residents should separate waste at the source into biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste to facilitate proper management and recycling.
“Proper waste management requires the participation of every person from the point waste is generated to its final disposal,” he said.
He said the county government had partnered with a private firm, Regen Organics, to collect biodegradable waste from aggregation centers and transport it to Matawa Organic Industrial Park in Mumias West, where it is processed into organic fertilizer for farmers’ use.
“All organic waste is taken to Matawa and is separated, and the individuals involved are paid for their work. So it is also a circular economy,” said Shamala.
He said the initiative could only succeed if residents separated their waste at the source, adding that people could use sacks, boxes, or other containers to separate waste without necessarily purchasing expensive bins.
Shamala said the county was also working with partners, including Practical Action, to promote waste separation, provide personal protective equipment, and support the establishment of material recovery facilities.
He said the municipality had installed modern waste receptacles with separate compartments for biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste at Kakamega Single Market and Lurambi.
The public health officer said private waste collectors had also been licensed to collect waste from residential estates where landlords, tenants, and waste dealers make private arrangements on waste collection and payment.
He said Kakamega Municipality had introduced regular clean-up exercises and was encouraging residents to participate in monthly clean-up days to promote environmental conservation.
Shamala said the municipality’s waste management practices had attracted officials from other counties, including Mombasa and Kericho, who had visited Kakamega to benchmark its waste management practices.
He urged residents to take responsibility for the waste they generate by ensuring it is properly separated and stored before collection, noting that a clean environment benefits both the present and future generations.
By Annlinda Simiyu and Valary Anyoso
