Ruto unveils plan for a major overhaul of Dandora dumpsite
By Faith Lagat, February 8, 2026President William Ruto announced a major overhaul of Nairobi’s waste management system, revealing that the national government and Nairobi City County will jointly finance a programme to relocate the Dandora dumpsite and construct a modern waste treatment facility.
Speaking at AIC Church Pipeline in Embakasi South on February 8, 2026, President Ruto emphasised the need for a joint effort between the national and county governments to tackle Nairobi’s waste problem.
“We have agreed to clean the city of Nairobi. Nairobi cannot be the city in the garbage. We have sat down with the governor. I will get money from the national government, so that we add to that of the county government, so that we can clean the city of Nairobi,” Ruto stated.
Ruto said a new landfill site has already been secured in Ruai, while the decades-old Dandora dumpsite will be progressively decommissioned and treated. Waste removal will be done in phases to avoid disruption.
“Already the contract has been given. We have found land in Ruai. The landfill in Dandora is going to be treated. So the garbage will be removed from Dandora bit by bit, not at once. We want to start to build where we will clean the garbage so that we manufacture fertiliser, energy and other things,” he explained.
Sustainable waste management focus
The President emphasised that the new facility will convert refuse into products such as fertiliser and energy, marking a shift toward sustainable waste handling. Contracts for the project have been awarded, and implementation is underway.
Garbage collection across residential estates and urban centres is scheduled to begin on April 1, with the waste treatment plant targeted for completion by 2027.
“I have told those concerned that I want to work with them so that by 2027, the treatment plant will be ready, but we will begin collecting the garbage from April 1, from our estates and towns, so that we clean the city of Nairobi,” Ruto said.
County and national support
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, who spoke at the same event, revealed that the national government has committed over Ksh4 billion to support the initiative.
The announcement follows Ruto’s call last week for residents and stakeholders to partner in keeping the capital clean.
The plan complements the county’s ongoing Nairobi Green Army programme, which focuses on street cleaning, drain unclogging, and city beautification.
For years, the Dandora dumpsite has posed serious environmental and health risks to residents of eastern Nairobi and surrounding areas. The relocation and modernisation of waste management mark a significant step toward restoring cleanliness and sustainability to Kenya’s capital.