Sakaja outlines Nairobi plans for Climate change summit

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja [Standard,file]

Nairobi County has put up proper measures to ensure that the Africa Climate Change Summit will go as planned at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said already the County has engaged all the main organizers among them key ministries for the Summit from June 4.

“We are happy that Nairobi has been seen as the global capital and we will be hosting more than 24 Presidents and delegates from across the world,” he noted.

“As county we have been in technical planning committees together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tourism and Environment to plan how we will welcome the guests and manage traffic,” Sakaja added.

He said some of the hotels where the guests and delegates will stay have been identified in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign affairs.

Sakaja said that in the summit Nairobi County has a plan as global city and will focus on some issues like showcasing its role on environment conservation.

“This will include flagging of electric buses on Sunday at Greenpark to showcase how we are moving away from fuels that pollute environment through unfriendly emissions,” Sakaja said.

 The Governor said the Climate Change summit is timely since in June he was elected as Vice Chair of the C40 Steering Committee chaired by the London Mayor.

This is the governing body providing strategic direction for the global network of nearly 100 cities committed to addressing the global climate crisis.

In terms of environment conservation, Sakaja said the County has already employed 3,500 youths from all the wards so that they can help in greening the city.

“We are not doing that because of the visitors but for our own good as the city. I also urge the residents to play their part where they can,” he said.

He said the County has added 27 garbage trucks and 60 contractors tasked to help in garbage collection.

Meanwhile police have issued a notice in some areas that activities will be partly disrupted during the Summit.

Nairobi County Commander Adamson Bungei has however stated that intense security will be provided to everyone around and outside the city centre.

“Some areas have been marked as red zones meaning they only be accessible to the delegates, these are Harambee Avenue, City Hall Way, Taifa road including reinsurance and Sunken parking,” Bungei stated.

Other areas are, Parliament Road, Intercontinental Hotel and Holy Family Basilica areas.