Following protests by traders, county environment officials have cleared garbage that lay uncollected at Muthurwa Market for five months.
“We are glad to say that all the garbage has been cleared up. This is a process that will continue and so I would like to urge the members of the public to continue to be patient with us,” a City Hall official who sought anonymity said.
The clean-up came after dozens of traders held a protest on Thursday morning demanding action from companies given tenders to clean the area, reconstruct pathways and drainage systems.
The official said the garbage was uncollected because of the ongoing rainfall in the city and failure by City Hall to pay the companies.
“Initially, the county used to collect garbage; the task was handed over to contractors,” he said.
Last week, when the Star visited the area, only one lorry was being loaded with the garbage.
“We are happy now they are cleaning, it is funny we have to do protests to have our rights addressed,” said Njeri Kamau, a tomato vendor.
Ironically, county offices managing the market are close to the garbage site.
The county is faced with problems such as lack of waste management systems, political will, little technical and financial resources.
Traders complained that cartels have been exploiting these loopholes and are having a field day demanding up to Sh1,500 per day.
Waste in the CBD is largely collected by the county, while private operators dominate collection in residential areas at a fee.
According to the Nairobi County Sustainable Waste Management Plan, Nairobi generates about 3,000 tonnes of waste daily.
Speaking to the Star, Muthurwa traders revealed the menace started when Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko was arrested last year in December.
There are at least over 10,000 traders working in one of the largest market in Nairobi, occupying over 10 acres.
The market is a wholesale and retail one-stop-center for potatoes, tomatoes, kales, cabbage, onions, bananas, fruits, and others, bringing in traders from all over the country.
“I can walk in peace now, we used to walk with gumboots due to a lot of sewage and mud,” said Esther Wangari, when the Star caught up with her at the market.
The market was commissioned by then the Local Government Musikari Kombo in an attempt to control hawking and traffic congestion in 2006.