Sonko races to clear garbage mess, shuts famous city hotel

Officers during the operation to shut Nasco hotel. Restaurant management claimed it was a case of witch hunt as they had declined to bribe the officers. [Beverlyne Musili, Standard]

Nascos Services City restaurant has been shut down indefinitely by authorities over illegal dumping.  

Officials from City hall who were accompanied by police officers, who were also armed, conducted the operation that saw the business closed down.

Deputy environment director, Lawrence Mwangi told members of the fourth estate that the restaurant was responsible for illegal dumping of waste.

Mwangi observed that the restaurant did not have any contracted waste collection firm and that it relied on street boys to dispose the waste.

He explained that the activities of the hotel had been brought to his attention by the County Secretary, Peter Kariuki, after they arrested three street boys dumping garbage on Tuesday night.

“Immediately the County secretary alerted us, we proceeded to Sheikh Karue road where we arrested the street boys who informed us they had been sent by the hotel,” said Mwangi.

He termed the case a tip of the iceberg saying that many more hotels were engaged in illegal dumping and it was only a matter of time before the law caught up with them.

“We have been fighting illegal dumping but such illegal acts make it hard for us. We are now looking to make it mandatory that every restaurant or business has contracted a garbage collection firm,” he added.

Nascos restaurant manager, Daniel Obondo however denied the claims against the institution saying that the officials were bitter since he had declined to bribe them with sh100, 000.

“The officers had also come this morning and directed that I give them Sh100, 000.Whwn I declined they arrested three of my staff members,” said Obondo when contacted.

Mr Mwangi confirmed that the thee individuals namely, Kevin Onyango Dede, Boke Stephen Naheke and Mary Moraa Sagwe had been charged at the city hall courts with illegal waste disposal.

Nairobi’s environmental department has in the recent past received criticism over the poor garbage collection efforts.

Huge slumps of garbage in the Central Business District and in the City estates have been an eyesore to city residents who have demanded better services.

The recent heavy rains have made the situation worse.

City hall has however come out to defend itself citing sabotage buy some businesses.

The Nairobi regeneration committee however revealed intentions to release a total of 381 garbage trucks to aid in garbage collection. They will complement efforts by t5he County government and the Kenya Defence forces in cleaning the capital.