In cities and towns across Kenya, plastic bottles, food wrappers and discarded bags line the roads, clog drains, and pollute rivers. The trash is everywhere dumped from car windows, piled beside overflowing bins, and left to rot in busy marketplaces.
It’s a scene so familiar that most Kenyans walk past it without flinching.
Ask who’s responsible for the mess, and fingers start pointing at the government, at county officials, at the next person down the road. Almost no one admits it starts with them.
“It’s the government’s job to clean, what are they for?” some Kenyans on X(Twitter)believe.
But others see it differently that we can’t keep blaming the government, and that if you throw rubbish out of your car window, that’s on you. That’s not the government’s fault. That’s you! Kenyans on X(Twitter) argued.
This growing crisis of waste has become a national embarrassment and a public health risk. The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) says Kenya generates over 22,000 tonnes of waste daily. Only about 40 percent is collected. The rest ends up in illegal dumps, rivers, or burns in open spaces.
The country is choking on its own carelessness as Kenyans continue to argue on who is to blame.There’s a culture in the Kenyans society of throwing something away and thinking it magically disappears. There is a always this idea that someone else will clean it up“hio si kazi yangu”.
A Broken System
Part of the problem lies in weak enforcement. Littering from vehicles is technically illegal under Kenya’s environmental laws. But it rarely leads to fines or penalties. Kenyans should be held responsible in the sense that anyone who litters should be stopped and be issued a ticket.
County governments, too, have struggled to keep up. Many blame budget shortfalls, broken garbage trucks and uncollected fees. The resources are limited and thus asks Kenyans to meet them halfway. “Cleaning is not just a government job” they concluded.
Public frustration is growing and in low-income areas, especially, residents complain that waste piles sit for weeks without collection and when the county government doesn’t collect it, they eventually, have to burn it. That burning, however, releases toxic fumes that harm both people and the planet.
Shifting Attitudes
Some Kenyans are taking action. Across the country, youth groups, churches and activists have begun organizing cleanups. Social media campaigns like #MyWasteMyResponsibility, #BeTheChange and #KeepKenyaClean are gaining traction.
It’s not just about plastic on the road. It’s about Kenyans attitude and values. It’s not about waiting for miracles anymore. Some youths believe that everyone should start with their streets. Their homes. Still, for real change to happen, many say there must be a shift in national attitude.
A Way Forward
Experts suggest a mix of stronger enforcement, better waste management infrastructure and a national public awareness campaign.
Behavioral change is the hardest part. But it’s the most important. “If every Kenyan took five minutes to clean around them each day, we’d see a difference” Kenyans on X(Twitter) suggested.
Until then, the streets remain littered caught between a government slow to act and a public too used to looking the other way. It might just be everyone’s job.
