Trucks, bins to boost garbage collection in Murang’a

Murang’a,

Sunday September 24, 2023

KNA by Bernard Munyao

The county government of Murang’a has acquired two Sh 46 million trucks and 21 refuse collection bins to boost refuse collection in major local towns.

The loader-trucks are expected to solve the challenge of garbage collection, which had been witnessed in major towns within the county.

Commissioning the trucks Friday, Deputy Governor Stephen Munania said with the new trucks, collection of garbage will be done timely, enabling residents to operate in a clean environment.

The County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Water and Environment Mary Magochi said the 21 refuse collection bins will be placed at strategic areas, where residents will be required to dispose of garbage.

The bins, she noted, will be put in Murang’a town, Kenol and Kangari among other towns to help in collection of the garbage.

“We request residents within the towns which have the bins to use them to dispose of their garbage. The trucks will be collecting refuse on specific days of the week,” she added.

Magochi further said the county government will come up with regulations to enforce better ways of solid waste disposal saying those who will be found dumping garbage outside designated areas, will be penalized.

 “As we strive to ensure cleanliness in our towns, we want our people to be responsible when it comes to disposing of solid garbage. Let every resident dump refuse at the bins,” noted Magochi.

Meanwhile, the CECM said the county government is working with the national government to realize completion of a sanitary landfill located at Mitumbiri area.

The project, initially undertaken by the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services to handle solid waste from Murang’a, stalled two years ago at 70 percent completion.

 “The landfill project, funded to a tune of Sh1 billion, once completed, will easily handle all refuse generated in the county, estimated at 390 metric tons daily," said Magochi. 

She continued, “the remaining part of the project is expected to be done within a short period so that the county can properly handle and manage all solid waste generated locally.”

On her part, County Assembly Environment Committee Chairperson Diana Kagiri said the assembly will allocate more funds in the next financial year budget for procurement of more trucks, so as to ensure the menace of uncollected garbage becomes a thing of the past in the urban areas.

 “In the next financial year, two more trucks will be procured to ensure all the 144 markets are clean,” said Kagiri, who serves as a nominated MCA.

Courtesy; KNA