Residents of Eastlands Speak Out as County Delays Waste Management Overhaul

The acrid stench of decomposing waste has become the unwanted signature scent of Korogocho this June, as frustrated residents demand accountability from Nairobi County officials over a prolonged waste management crisis that has paralysed eastern parts of the capital.

For nearly three months, refuse collection services have been sporadic across working-class neighbourhoods including Pumwani, Bahati, and Kayole, leaving mountains of uncollected garbage piled on street corners and residential compounds. County officials cite contractual disputes between the Nairobi City County and private waste management firms, but residents say they are paying the price in disease risk and degraded living conditions.

Community health workers operating through the Eastlands Residents' Forum, a grassroots organisation based near the Kariobangi market, report a 40 per cent spike in waterborne illness cases since April. "Children are getting diarrhoea, typhoid is becoming common again," said one health advocate from the forum during a public meeting held at the Pumwani Social Hall on June 22. The forum, which has mobilised over 2,000 members across six wards, has submitted three formal complaints to the County Executive's office without receiving substantive responses.

The waste crisis intersects with a broader governance challenge in Nairobi's lower-income zones, where service delivery remains inconsistent. County budget allocations for solid waste management stand at 2.8 billion shillings annually—insufficient, critics argue, for a city producing approximately 2,500 tonnes of waste daily. Residents point out that while wealthy western suburbs receive regular collection, eastern and southern zones are treated as afterthoughts.

Business owners along Juja Road and near the Gikomba market have also suffered. Retailers report lost merchandise due to pest infestations and foot traffic diverted to cleaner areas. One vegetable trader noted that sales have dropped by half since refuse began accumulating near the marketplace.

The Nairobi County Assembly's Environment Committee announced it would hold public hearings on July 15 to address the crisis. Residents, however, express scepticism about timelines. "We've heard promises before," remarked a Korogocho resident at a recent community gathering. "We need action, not words."

The Council of Governors and the County Assembly's Public Accounts Committee have both launched investigations into procurement irregularities within waste contracts. Officials suggest resolution by late July, though community leaders are bracing for extended delays as bureaucratic processes unfold.

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