Mwakirunge dumpsite threat to air traffic, environment official warns

Mwakirunge dumpsite

Mombasa: The Mwakirunge dumpsite lies along the Moi International Airport flight path and will be relocated, an environmental official has said.

"Despite its earlier identification as a suitable dumpsite, studies conducted later revealed that the site was within a 13km flight path prompting aviation regulator, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) to oppose its citing," Mombasa County Environment Director Stephen Wambua said Sunday.

Mombasa has a total of 63 transfer stations for garbage and litter collection and most of the waste is generated from households and commercial entities.

Mr Wambua said there were three dumpsites in Mombasa: Kibarani, Mwakirunge and Likoni Quarries.

He said that as part of the Mombasa City Master Plan initiative sponsored by the Japanese International Co-operation Agency (Jica), the issue of an alternative dumpsite for the city will be priority.

"The county government is looking for a suitable site to build a new dumpsite to replace both Kibarani and Mwakirunge,'' he said.

Correct tonnage

He said that due to the absence of a weighbridge at Kibarani dupmsite, they are unable to ascertain the correct tonnage of the garbage generated daily.

He said they had continued to embrace an open-hand approach and were working with volunteer groups like MC4, resident associations, corporate firms and service clubs to keep Mombasa clean.

He added that the National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) had come up with a national solid-waste management strategy themed: 'My Waste My Responsibility'. On medical waste disposal, Mr Wambua said the county was not experiencing a worst case scenario.

"We are not doing badly because major hospitals have incinerators," he said.