Sakaja back to drawing board as court halts dumpsite plan
By Alvin.Mwangi, September 12, 2023Plans by the Nairobi County Government to convert Dandora dumpsite into a waste energy plant have been thrown into disarray after the Environment and Lands Court suspended the project.
The interim injunction by the High Court came after a section of residents filed a petition, arguing that the project violated their rights to a clean environment.
“A temporary injunction has been hereby issued staying the Nairobi City County Government decision to award China National Electric Engineering Company,” the orders by Justice Edward Ombwoto.
The petitioner, Advin Mbae, moved to court, saying the county hurriedly awarded the tender even without conducting a proper feasibility study.
Petitioner also argued that the Nairobi County Government wanted to move on with the project despite even the court ordering the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Service to vacate the site and relocate elsewhere.
With the ruling, Governor Johnson Sakaja will be forced to go back to the drawing board, as there were plans to build a 45-megawatt waste to energy plant.
According to the plans, the plant was supposed to process 2,500 tonnes of municipal waste per day.
Located just 2.5 miles away from the city centre, residents continue to heap garbage at the dumpsite despite it reaching maximum capacity in 2001.
Closure, relocation and setting up an energy plant at the dumpsite have remained futile, three county governments down the line. In 2013, former Governor Evans Kidero indicated that he wanted to transfer the site to Ruai, some 25 kilometers east of Nairobi.
The plans were, however, opposed by the Kenya Airports Authority which said Ruai is on the flight path from the Jomo Kenyatta International airport.