Plastic choking waterways despite existing policies

Fishermen pull a huge pile of plastic waste from Mahanga beach in Mageta in Siaya county on Sunday, February 28, 2021. [Xinhua]

Kenya grabbed headlines in 2017 when it banned single-use plastic bags. This was celebrated as one of the sternest in the world. The move was preceded by the country's decision to sign the Clean Seas Initiative, making it one of the first African nations to commit to limiting plastic in its waterways.

Currently, the success rate of the ban is recorded at approximately 80 per cent in the fight against plastic pollution, according to National Environment Management Authority.