Two senior officers from the Nairobi County Government have been interdicted over the illegal dumping of garbage at Stima Plaza, an incident condemned by Nairobi Governor Hon. Johnson Sakaja. The act was described as "uncouth, wrong, and primitive" by Governor Sakaja during a meeting with the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security, chaired by Hon. Gabriel Tongoyo.
Governor Sakaja expressed his deep regret over the incident and apologized on behalf of the government staff, emphasizing that the illegal disposal of waste was not authorized and does not align with the values of the Nairobi City County Government. “Dumping of garbage at Stima Plaza was uncouth, wrong, and primitive. It was not sanctioned, and it is not something the Government does,” he said.
The incident, which occurred at Stima Plaza, led to immediate action from the Nairobi County Government. Within an hour of the discovery, the dumped garbage was removed, and public health officers, along with fumigation teams, were dispatched to the site to assess and address any potential health risks.
Members of the committee questioned whether the garbage was loaded directly from the Dandora dumpsite onto the trucks or if it was already on the trucks when they arrived at the site. Governor Sakaja clarified that there is currently no formal mechanism for collecting garbage directly from the Dandora dumpsite, adding that CCTV footage from the dumpsite would be made available to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to aid in the ongoing investigations.
Inspector General of Police, Mr. Douglas Kanja, informed the committee that investigations are ongoing, with two employees of Kenya Power initially arrested but later released without charges. DCI Chief, Mr. Amin Mohammed, stated that three Nairobi County Government employees were arrested on February 25, 2025, in connection with the illegal garbage disposal. Following further investigations, the suspects were charged with sabotage, illegal waste disposal, and obstruction.
"The investigations are ongoing, and more Nairobi County Government officials are likely to be arrested and charged," Mr. Amin said. He also assured the committee that the DCI would provide a public report upon the completion of the investigations. The file was forwarded to the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for review, with suspects released on bond pending further action from the ODPP.
The committee urged the DCI to expedite the investigation and provide a comprehensive report once it is completed. The committee chair also directed the Office of the Governor and the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) to submit a report confirming the safety of Stima Plaza and its surrounding areas for public use within 24 hours.
In addition to the garbage dumping issue, the committee briefly discussed security concerns in Kirinyaga Central, represented by Hon. Joseph Gitari. Gitari raised concerns about insecurity in his constituency and shared an update on the Todonyang incident. He confirmed that three bodies had been recovered from the area—one of which had been identified, while the other two remain unidentified. Regarding the ongoing negotiations for the release of five kidnapped chiefs in Mandera, IG Kanja provided updates, assuring the committee that efforts to resolve the situation are ongoing.
The meeting concluded with calls for swift action and accountability, as the authorities continue to investigate both the garbage dumping incident and the security challenges facing different parts of the country.
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