The Standard Garbage Railway

The Standard Garbage Railway (SGR) Mombasa-Nairobi route is almost complete and we have also started seeing the importation and testing of the new trains in anticipation of the July launch date.

The project cost Kenya billions but is expected to ease transport within and outside Kenya and in the process minting Kenya billions if not trillions of shillings both directly and indirectly.

However, there is an opportunity which we as residents of the capital need to bring to the fore that can really benefit the entire city by dealing with one of the most persistent problem we face....garbage collection.

The Nairobi County Government needs to partner with the railway service to have special trains to carry waste to either the Dandora site or a new dump site.

The advantages of using this system are many such as....the ability to avoid traffic jams hence faster movement to the dump site, the ability to set up collection points/garbage stations around the city near railway lines for ease of collection.

With the large capacity of the SGR including the ability to carry double wagons we will be able to carry out a huge amount of trash to the dump site and depending on the number of wagons and trains available may even be able to clean the entire city in less than 90 days.

The 'Standard Garbage Railway' can even operate 24/7.I'm sure a lot of the city's residents will be more willing to participate in a major cleanup of their estates if they can be assured that the trash will be collected promptly after the exercise.

We should start with the city center and roll out the same to other estates/regions in the city within the year.