Nairobi County has officially announced that arrests will now be made for anyone found littering within the Central Business District (CBD). This comes as part of the county’s renewed push to restore cleanliness, discipline, and order in the capital city.
According to Chief Environmental Officer Geoffrey Mosiria, behaviors such as spitting in public, throwing garbage on the streets, or using drainage systems as dumping sites will no longer be tolerated. Offenders will face immediate arrest and prosecution under county by-laws.
The announcement follows years of frustration over the state of Nairobi’s streets, which are often littered with plastic bottles, food wrappers, and uncollected garbage. County officials believe that strict enforcement, combined with civic education, will change how residents treat public spaces.
As part of the plan, new dustbins are being installed across the CBD to ensure that pedestrians have access to proper waste disposal points. However, the county has warned that the bins are strictly for individual use and not for commercial or hawker waste. To protect the bins from theft and vandalism—a problem that has plagued previous waste-management efforts—the county will deploy guards to watch over them.
Governor Johnson Sakaja has emphasized that keeping Nairobi clean is a collective responsibility. He noted that a cleaner city not only improves public health but also boosts Nairobi’s image as a regional hub for business, tourism, and diplomacy.
The move has drawn mixed reactions from residents. Supporters say the crackdown is long overdue and will help instill a sense of responsibility among citizens. Critics, however, warn that arrests may target vulnerable populations, such as street vendors and casual laborers, who already lack proper waste-management options.
Despite the concerns, Nairobi County maintains that the campaign is necessary. Officials believe that with proper enforcement, Nairobi can overcome its long-standing sanitation challenges and emerge as a cleaner, healthier, and more attractive city.
