Eastleigh

Business district association, Nairobi County team clean up Eastleigh

EBDA Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Adan is pictured with a member of the Green Army while cleaning up the General Waruingi Street in Eastleigh, Nairobi, on May 25, 2024. (Photo: Abdirahman Khalif/EV)

By Abdirahman Khalif | Saturday, May 25, 2024

The exercise followed a meeting on Thursday between the EBDA and Nairobi City County officials to address the garbage menace in Eastleigh.

Top leaders of the Eastleigh Business District Association (EBDA), along with Nairobi County's Green Army, cleaned up the neighbourhood on Saturday, starting at the Pumwani roundabout and going all the way to Mohamed Yusuf Haji Avenue.

The exercise followed a meeting on Thursday between the EBDA and Nairobi City County officials to address the garbage menace in Eastleigh.

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EBDA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mohamed Adan stressed the need to address the garbage problem.

"It is our obligation to serve and advocate for the well-being of the business people in Eastleigh. Eastleigh is known as a dirty place, but we want to change that," he said, noting the association and the county would collaborate in ensuring the area remains clean.

Assistant Chief Mohamed Gedow and EBDA Secretary General Omar Hussein take part in a cleanup in Eastleigh, Nairobi, on May 25, 2024. (Photo: Abdirahman Khalif/EV)

However, Mohamed pointed out challenges faced by the Green Army, a group formed to handle garbage collection in Eastleigh. He cited issues such as a lack of vehicles and funds for fuel, which make it difficult for them to transport the waste to designated areas.

The Green Army has faced accusations of worsening the garbage problem by using major roads as collection points.

In its defence, it has explained that these locations are only temporary areas that will be cleared once proper waste disposal plans are made.

Noting the importance of maintaining a clean environment for businesses and residents, EBDA Secretary General Omar Hussein said on Saturday that the cleanup would take place every last Saturday of the month.

"We cannot have businesses and homes without minding our cleanliness. We have to deal with the garbage menace," he said and urged the community to use proper waste disposal mechanisms, not hand it to street children or dump it on sidewalks and roads.