By Christopher Omondi
Residents of Manyatta B Ward in Kisumu County recently paid a firm courtesy call to the Kisumu City Department of Environment, following up on the memorandum presented to the department by the Dawn of Obunga, a Community-Based Organization, after a Community Baraza held in Manyatta B Ward in February.
The engagement demanded lasting solutions to the illegal dumping of waste in the ward and the concrete strengthening of community-led waste management initiatives. The residents are deeply frustrated by the continued inaction from those responsible and therefore accompanied the community-based organization to the county department to insist on accountability. “The main concern was and still is the illegal dumping of waste and strengthening community waste management initiatives. We don’t know how to deal with the culprits. Should we arrest the people who dump Pampers everywhere, or should they be fined? I think that is a conversation we should have,” stated Fred Omondi, a resident in Gonda.
The Deputy Director of Environment for Kisumu County, Mr. John Sande, took time to respond to the residents who visited the department, firmly stating that “we are committed to working closely with all the local community waste management groups in sensitizing residents on proper household waste management practices. We would also like to appeal to the community members to utilize the waste management and recycling facilities constructed and handed over to the community under the Financially Locally-Led Climate Change Action (FLOCCA) funding, as a key step towards waste management. We agree that the issue of illegal dumping of Pampers and sanitary waste needs stricter enforcement of producer responsibility regulations in line with the National Sustainable Waste Management Act, to ensure manufacturers and stakeholders take responsibility for safe disposal of waste in Manyatta B Ward.”
The Dawn of Obunga CBO shared the memorandum written to the Kisumu County Department of Environment on the illegal dumping of waste in Manyatta B and the urgent need for decisive waste management interventions on their social media, and publicly called upon the Department of Environment to take immediate and firm action.
“This is not just about cleanliness; it is a serious public health risk and a matter of human dignity. Our mothers, sisters, and daughters deserve access to safe and proper waste disposal systems, not an environment that exposes them to harm and stigma. The County Government’s Department of Environment should provide designated disposal points, install waste skips, and ensure consistent waste collection in Manyatta B. We also urge residents to embrace responsible disposal practices, which should start at the household level and protect the environment we all share,” read a statement on their Facebook page.
