Students embark on clean up of Machakos town

Collection of litter. [iStockphoto]

Students of Uwezo College in Machakos have launched a quarterly clean-up drive of the town.

Led by the institution's director, Felix Kyengo, the students are seeking to work with the county government's Department of Urban Development to sensitise the public on proper solid waste disposal.

The campaign, dubbed, "My waste, my responsibility" targets to restore the county's lost glory that the students believe has contributed to declining economic fortunes.

"Our aim is to make Machakos a clean town that will attract and retain investors and we know one way of doing so is to have a clean environment of doing business. These are the same investors who will offer employment opportunities to our graduates and as an institution, we are highly indebted to lead a clean-up campaign," said Kyengo.

Mercy Nzuki, a hospitality student at the institution said the initiative will include collection and disposal of litter, unclogging of drainage and sweeping the streets.

"We want to lead by example and get the public to understand and appreciate the essence of keeping the environment clean. Maintaining a clean environment is not only good for business but also helps keep many diseases away," she said.

"We want to lead from the front and ensure maximum cleanliness of the entire municipality. We will achieve this by inspiring the public and other institutions to join us in this noble cause because it will be of mutual benefit to all," Nzuki added.

Machakos municipal manager, Boniface Kamende said the county government is seeking more partners to ensure proper collection and disposal of garbage.

"We have noticed that we cannot undertake solid waste management alone. Today we are collaborating with Uwezo College and we want to make it a routine. We urge other institutions and State departments to also come on board and partner with us in this noble cause," said Kamende.