The Nairobi County government has introduced new guidelines aimed at improving the city’s cleanliness, targeting matatu operators and hawkers whose activities hinder cleaning efforts in the city center.
Geoffrey Mosiria, the Environment County Chief Officer, addressed these concerns in a statement on Monday. He pointed out that many matatu stages remain occupied by vehicles overnight, obstructing the county’s cleaning operations.
“Additionally, some vehicles are poorly maintained, abandoned in open spaces, and fail to manage their waste properly, contributing to environmental degradation,” Mosiria stated.
As a result, Mosiria has directed that all vehicles must vacate the matatu stages during designated cleaning hours. He also instructed matatu owners to ensure their vehicles are maintained in a clean state and to subscribe to licensed waste management services.
“Stop unnecessary hooting and loud music that cause a nuisance in the city, and remove all abandoned vehicles immediately,” Mosiria ordered.
The Chief Officer warned that anyone found violating these guidelines will face “enforcement actions as provided by the law.”
In addition, Mosiria addressed the growing issue of hawkers leaving their wares and belongings in the streets and lanes. He instructed hawkers to clear their items by 10:00 PM daily to allow cleaning teams to work effectively.
“Failure to comply will result in your belongings being treated as a nuisance, and any items left behind will be collected and disposed of without prior notice or consent,” he added.
These directives come shortly after Nairobi County’s decision to relocate hawkers to the backstreets of the city center, a move aimed at addressing the increasing congestion and ensuring the smooth operation of city cleaning efforts.
Nairobi County Pulls Down Business Signages
Elsewhere, Mosiria defended the decision to remove street signages in Nairobi after videos surfaced showing county cleanup teams pulling down signs. He explained that the exercise was a lawful action to eliminate “illegal” and obstructive signages that hindered free movement.
“These are illegal billboards erected on the walkways which are blocking people from walking freely in the streets. Some have not been paid for, so we cleared them,” Mosiria stated.
The exercise, which took place on the night of January 13, primarily targeted shops along Tom Mboya Street, with Mosiria personally overseeing the operation.
Governor Sakaja Johnson also played a hands-on role in improving the city’s cleanliness by leading a night-long cleaning operation that extended into the early hours of Monday. The county boss, accompanied by top county executives, joined over 3,500 members of the Green Army from the Department of Environment to restore Nairobi’s central business district (CBD).
“Let’s do this job with the seriousness it deserves. Let’s do it as if we’re doing it for God, not just because we’re being paid. We have no option. Nairobi must be clean this year. Let’s do this,” Sakaja urged his team.
These combined efforts reflect Nairobi County’s commitment to transforming the city into a cleaner, more organized urban environment.
Restoring order in Nairobi is non-negotiable.
As we sweep and unclog drainage systems in the CBD, all illegal structures blocking our streets and hindering cleaning efforts will be treated as public nuisances under environmental laws.
We must reclaim our spaces and make Nairobi… pic.twitter.com/86YZ0kZRUQ— Geoffrey Mosiria (@HonMosiria) January 14, 2025
