Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya has said that the waste from the Dandora dumpsite can be recycled to generate power for Nairobi.
She said the waste can also be turned into energy.
"Dandora can power Nairobi to a big per cent. This same waste can be turned into wealth in so many aspects," Tuya said.
The CS spoke during an interview with Citizen TV on Sunday.
She said some youths are always ravaging the dumpsite and getting items out and there is an opportunity for young people to make a living.
"We have our producer responsibility organisations coming up strongly to support the government in discussion on how now we will turn this waste management plans to reality," she said.
Producer responsibility organisations operate packaging waste collection and recycling schemes.
Tuya claimed that the Dandora dumpsite is run by cartels adding that they fear being displaced if the waste management program is brought to the area.
"We must get the bigger picture. Even for those cartels to know that embarking on turning around Dandora, sorting the waste, turning to energy or anything else productive does not mean displacement," Tuya said.
She said maybe the approaches that have been used previously were the problem.
In her opinion, the cartels in the Dandora dumpsite should be involved in the waste management program.
"What the cartels want is to make a living from that waste," she said.
Tuya said it is now time, and that there is political will, to turn the waste that is choking the country into wealth and energy.
"We have investors who are ready to jump in and actualise this. The intention is there and we are engaging," Tuya said.
