The number of people hired to rehabilitate Nairobi rivers and related activities like solid waste management and tree planting will be increased from the current 20,000 to 50,000 next month.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has also said that the government will increase the daily wages from Sh500 per person after the 50,000-target is achieved.

The National Climate Resilience Programme, commonly referred to as Climate WorX, integrates the young people into the national climate agenda, and leverages labour-intensive projects to extend job opportunities to the youth.

The government has also said security has improved in Mukuru Kwa Reuben, Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Mukuru Viwandani and other informal settlements in the city following the launch of the programme.

Unemployment and poverty may put the youth in such areas at a higher risk of being involved in crime commission or omission, as well as being victimised.

The CS added that the other 30,000 people who voluntarily relocated to give way for the massive cleaning exercise of the riparian ecosystem would be prioritised in the social housing programme being implemented in the area.

Overwhelming requests
It was launched on September 12 2024, to replace the Kazi Mtaani Initiative and was designed as a multi-sectoral initiative, incorporating efforts from the State Department for Housing and Urban Development, local administration, the National Youth Service (NYS) and the local communities.

“A total of 50,000 people, mainly the youth and women, will be cleaning a 47 km stretch of rivers passing through the city, including Nairobi, Mathare and Ngong’ Rivers,” Murkomen said.

The CS was speaking while inspecting the cleaning exercise at Mukuru Kwa Reuben accompanied by Internal Security Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo. He said the increase follows overwhelming requests by leaders and residents of other informal settlements.

The Ngong River stretch cutting the heart of Mukuru Kwa Reuben that was replete with dirt and filth before the initiative was launched is now clean.

The government launched the initiative to clean Nairobi River and other critical ecosystems, especially in urban river corridors, so residents in informal settlements could live in dignity.

PS Omollo said the Climate WorX initiative was a success and would be replicated in other major towns and counties to restore various ecosystems while creating employment for youth and women.