River Commission ‘Eating’ Taxpayers Money With Little To Show of it Exposed
A section of MCAs in Nairobi are questioning the role of Nairobi Commision that has been in place for two years now with little progress to show.
The MCAs are also questioning the collaboration between the National Government through the commission and the County Government in restoration of Nairobi Rivers, elliciting fears that more funds may have been misused because the state of the rivers remain the same.
Nairobi South B MCA Chege Waithera on Tuesday called on the county executive to explain it’s role in management of Nairobi Rivers and further come clean on any financial implications involved so far.
The MCA wants the executive through the assembly’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee to explain whether there has been any collaboration between the county government and the Rivers Commision, specific role the county is playing in conservation of Nairobi rivers and the funding involved.
” The constitution 2010 calls on the county government to implement specific national government policies on natural resources and environmental conservation including, soil and water conservation and forestry,” she said.
This comes a few days after city residents complained of the bad state of Nairobi River following the appointment of Bishop Margaret Wanjiru to head the Nairobi Rivers Commision that has been deemed dormant.
President William Ruto in December 2022 established the commission to help reclaim Nairobi rivers.
The President at the same time revealed that the government ,under the Ministry of Environment will partner with Nairobi City County Government to hire at least 12,000 young people and women to participate in cleaning the river and planting trees.
Governor Sakaja would later confirm that the project would replace the Kazi Mtaani programme which President Ruto scrapped in October 2022
The governor at the time noted that Nairobi County needed Sh4.5 billion in the short term, Sh6 billion in the medium term, and a total of Sh19 billion over five years to establish a proper sewerage system.
Previously in Nairobi, the county government has been conducting clean up exercises along the River beds using youth groups and through partnerships with environmental organisations.
According to Waithera Chege, there is too much duplication of roles and funding towards restoration and management of Nairobi rivers yet no tangible results can be seen.
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