CS Duale Blames Nairobi River Pollution on Middle-Class and Industries
Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has sparked debate after accusing Nairobi’s middle-class residents, industries, and major companies of being the main culprits behind the pollution of the Nairobi River. Speaking before the National Assembly, Duale dismissed the long-held belief that informal settlements were responsible for the river’s contamination, saying the real offenders are wealthier households and industrial establishments discharging untreated waste into the waterway.
The story that informal settlements are polluting Nairobi River is a fallacy, Duale stated firmly. These communities barely produce waste because they have little to throw away. The real polluters are the middle-class and industries that generate and dispose of massive amounts of garbage. According to the Cabinet Secretary, a detailed assessment by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) revealed that over 145 industries, factories, slaughterhouses, and apartment complexes were directly releasing untreated effluent into the river system. Duale further identified the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company and Athi Water and Sewerage Company as major offenders, saying their drainage systems routinely discharge raw sewage into the river.
The CS also raised concerns about thousands of illegal dumpsites along the 47-kilometre stretch from Kikuyu to Thwake Dam in Makueni County. He claimed that trucks frequently offload waste into the river, particularly in informal areas such as Mukuru kwa Njenga. Duale said he had already urged Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to remove all dumpsites situated near the riverbanks to stop further contamination. We don’t have a river anymore — what we have is sewage, he remarked.
Duale emphasized that enforcing existing environmental laws is the only way to restore the Nairobi River to its former state. He directed NEMA’s Director-General, Mamo B. Mamo, to ensure strict compliance among industries and public institutions, warning that non-compliance would no longer be tolerated. Environmental activists and policymakers have since lauded Duale’s firm stance, noting that accountability among corporate and public entities is long overdue. The renewed focus on enforcement marks a significant step in the government’s ongoing Nairobi River Restoration Program, which aims to rehabilitate one of the country’s most polluted waterways and safeguard the health of communities living along its banks.