Kisumu gets equipment boost to manage waste

By Nicholas Anyuor

Kisumu County

Kisumu has benefited from a Sh5.6 million garbage compactor from the Norwegian government.

The 36 tonne compactor, the only one of its kind in Kenya, will be used to clear the dumpsites menace in the town.

Kisumu Mayor Sam Okello said the donation was part of an agreement by the Municipal Council and the Norwegian Porsgrunn Kommu City Council to collaborate on issues of education, city planning, water and sanitation and capacity building.

Norwegian Porsgrunn Kommu City Council Mayor Oystein Beyer, Kisumu Municipal Council Mayor Sam Okello and other officials after they received the Sh5.6 million garbage compactor. [PHOTO: TITUS MUNALA/STANDARD]

"This is a move that will bring change to the people of Kisumu and we are appealing to the people to support it," he said.

Mr Okello said apart from the water and sanitation programme that has led to the introduction of the compactor, students in the region would also benefit from an exchange programme that has been initiated to ensure they get support from basic to higher levels of education.

"We shall consider even the university students in the region," he said.

The programme follows a visit by Okello to Norway to arrange for development partnership to help change the face of Kisumu municipality.

"We went and talked to them and to be satisfied that the programme would go through, we have been given this as proof," he said.

Transform town

Porsgrunn Kommu Mayor Oystein Beyer said the programme, dubbed City-City, would see more development projects implemented in Kisumu with the support of the Norwegian government. "This compactor is durable and will help Kisumu a lot. We are in partnership to bring more development projects to the city," he said.

They were speaking at the launch of the compactor at a dumpsite where the two mayors assured residents of their commitment to transform the town.

Kisumu city has been having a dumping problem with residents accusing the council of not taking care of the dumpsites.

Recently, Kisumu Municipal Council embarked on an ambitious programme to brand the town to attract investors and spur economic growth.

Brand Kenya Chief Executive Officer Mary Kimonye said Kisumu has what it takes to be an economic hub for East and Central Africa.

She said the city was the first the Government earmarked for branding to exploit its vast economic potential.

Kimonye said because Kisumu was a millennium city and hub for East Africa, it was prudent that measures were put in place to brand it to jump-start economic growth.