Environment Secretary Aden Duale has taken Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to task over the recent garbage crisis linked to a dispute with Kenya Power (KPLC). Duale criticized Sakaja’s handling of the situation, which escalated into chaos, saying it showed a lack of strong leadership.
The conflict began when KPLC cut off electricity to Nairobi County offices due to unpaid bills, totaling around Ksh3 billion. In response, county workers dumped garbage outside Kenya Power’s headquarters at Stima Plaza, creating a major disturbance for employees and nearby businesses. This move included clamping down on vehicles, making access nearly impossible for staff and customers and resulting in an unpleasant smell throughout the area.
Duale, speaking on a local TV program, expressed his disappointment with both the governor and the police, who he believed should have enforced order during the standoff. He stated, “Using environmental tactics to settle disputes is inappropriate. The police should have acted by towing those trucks and restoring normalcy.” He emphasized that the leadership displayed during the episode was the lowest point for Nairobi.
KPLC’s General Manager for Commercial Services, Rosemary Oduor, shared her dismay over the county’s drastic actions, noting that garbage was even dumped in their banking hall. She highlighted the ongoing financial disputes but didn’t expect such a severe reaction from the county.
County Secretary Godfrey Akumali defended Nairobi’s actions, claiming KPLC owed the county Ksh4.8 billion in wayleave fees. He pointed out that while KPLC reported profits, they failed to settle their debts.
After the uproar, Governor Sakaja expressed regret about the garbage dumping, describing it as an unfortunate mistake. He assured the public that they did not aim to block access to Stima Plaza and took swift action to have the garbage cleared. He also promised to restore water supply to the building that had been cut off due to the feud.
Sakaja said, “It was not our intention for a truck to tip and dump garbage. In less than 30 minutes, we managed to clear the waste. This situation does not reflect how Nairobi County operates.” He assured that the matter would be taken seriously and handled internally.
The incident has highlighted significant tensions between local government and utility services, raising questions about leadership and accountability in handling civic challenges.
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