Environment and Climate Change, Principal Secretary for Dr. Eng. Festus Ng’eno, today hosted a delegation from the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) led by Dr. Jackson Koimbori Head of Consult and Senior Circular Economy & Climate Change Coordinator during a courtesy call focused on advancing Kenya’s transition to a circular economy.
The meeting centered on the development of the Circular Economy Strategy and Implementation Plan (CESIP), a national framework aimed at shifting Kenya from the traditional linear ‘take-make-dispose’ model to a more sustainable system that maximizes resource efficiency and minimizes waste.
In his remarks, Dr. Ng’eno welcomed the collaboration, noting that circular economy principles are a key pillar under the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and the Ministry’s Strategic Plan 2023–2027.
He emphasized that adopting circular approaches will not only address environmental challenges such as pollution and waste management but also unlock economic opportunities, including job creation and green investment.
Concurrently, the KEPSA team briefed the PS on the CESIP development process, which will be implemented over a seven-month period from April to November 2026. The initiative is being supported technically by the Finnish Innovation Fund (Sitra) through the European Circular Economy Resource Centre, with KEPSA working in consortium with Intellecap Advisory Services.
According to Dr. Koimbori, the strategy will provide a coordinated national roadmap consolidating existing policies and aligning efforts across sectors such as plastics, agriculture, textiles, electronics, and construction areas identified for their high resource intensity and potential for circular innovation.
During the discussions, Dr. Ng’eno called for a more inclusive and expedited approach to stakeholder engagement urging the team to leverage the Council of Governors (CoG) to gather views from county governments and ensure timely input from devolved units.
He further encouraged the use of additional engagement platforms, including virtual platforms, to broaden participation and accelerate the process.
Similarly, the PS also directed that the Ministry’s Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) team be actively involved in the process, particularly those who participated in negotiations on the global plastics treaty and the science-policy panel on chemicals and waste, to enrich the strategy with international best practices and insights.
Importantly, Dr. Ng’eno underscored the critical role of Kenya’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations, noting that effective implementation will not only improve waste management but also stimulate local manufacturing by promoting recycling, value addition, and sustainable production systems.
“The CESIP will be developed through four key phases: inception, situational analysis, stakeholder engagement, and strategy formulation, with participation expected from over 110 stakeholders across government, private sector, academia, and civil society,” he announced.
Meanwhile, the meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deliver a practical, action-oriented strategy that will accelerate Kenya’s transition to a circular economy while supporting climate action, sustainable production, and long-term economic resilience.
The meeting was attended by Mr. Molu Wato, Director, Waste Management and Pollution Control in Environment and Climate Change, Ms. Karnika Yadav, Director at Intellecap Advisory Services among others.
By Michael Omondi
