Safisha Kanairo: Zoomlion Scales Up Waste-to-Value Plan in Dandora

By Faith wanza mueni 

Photo:A waste collection truck offloads garbage at the Dandora dumpsite in Nairobi as part of efforts under the Safisha Kanairo campaign to address the city’s waste management challenges.

NAIROBI, Aug 30 — Efforts to transform Nairobi’s waste management system are gaining momentum under the second edition of the Safisha Kanairo campaign, with Zoomlion Kenya partnering with the Nairobi City County Government to clear accumulated waste, restore illegal dumping sites and promote waste recycling.

The initiative targets legacy waste and illegal dumpsites across Nairobi’s 17 sub-counties as the county intensifies garbage collection to improve public health, sanitation and environmental conditions.

At Korogocho Market, where waste evacuation is ongoing, traders say the intervention has already improved the cleanliness of the busy commercial centre. Large amounts of organic waste generated by traders and residents had previously remained uncollected for long periods, creating sanitation concerns.

Trader Virginia Warau said regular waste evacuation was making a noticeable difference, particularly for businesses operating in the market.

The cleaner environment has also been credited with improving customer confidence. A trader identified as Kirui said better sanitation was attracting more customers to the market.

Previously, traders reportedly paid about Sh200 for waste collection, while the current arrangement has made collection cheaper and more regular.

The cleanup forms part of a Public-Private Partnership between Nairobi City County and Zoomlion Kenya aimed at removing accumulated and legacy waste from identified sites across the city.

The waste collected is currently transported to the Dandora dumpsite. However, this is expected to change once Zoomlion’s waste recycling and value-addition plant under construction in Ruai becomes operational.

The proposed facility will sort collected waste and process organic material into compost and fertiliser, potentially providing farmers with more affordable agricultural inputs. Plastic waste will also be processed into pellets for manufacturing waste bins and other products, supporting waste separation and recycling at source.

Ruaraka Sub-County Environment Officer Evans Ochieng said the partnership had already helped close five illegal dumping sites in the area.

He said the initiative was helping the county confront the long-standing problem of illegal dumping while improving sanitation in communities and commercial centres.

Zoomlion Kenya Operations Manager Laud Mike Tagoe said the programme was designed to provide Nairobi residents with a cleaner city while creating a sustainable market for waste through recycling and value addition.

However, officials acknowledge that waste removal alone will not solve Nairobi’s long-standing garbage problem. Sustaining the gains will require cooperation between the county government, waste-management providers, traders, residents and businesses.

The plan includes introducing skip containers, roll-on/roll-off containers and transfer stations at cleared sites to discourage fresh dumping and improve waste collection.

Meanwhile, Zoomlion Kenya has stepped up operations at the Dandora dumpsite, alongside emergency interventions in flood-prone areas of Korogocho. On August 25, 2026, the company undertook emergency evacuations to protect vulnerable families and clear obstructed waterways.

The company has also established an on-site container office overlooking the Dandora dumpsite to facilitate close monitoring of waste compaction, re-engineering and capping activities.

According to the company, continuous heavy compaction has already eliminated severe foul odours that had affected neighbouring areas, while the broader restoration programme is targeting ecological transformation of the dumpsite within two years.

The Safisha Kanairo campaign has also extended to Wangu Comprehensive Primary School, located next to the Dandora dumpsite.

Photo Caption:Pupils of Wangu Primary School join zoomlion Kenya team during the Safisha Kanairo initiative, aimed at promoting environmental cleanliness and encouraging pupils to take an active role in keeping Nairobi clean.

A Zoomlion Kenya delegation led by Head of Communication Daisy Chelangat, alongside representatives from Zoomlion Ghana, visited the school as part of the campaign’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme.

The delegation was received by Headteacher Wachira Kagunya, who highlighted challenges facing learners, including dumpsite fumes, security concerns and water shortages.

The school has more than 5,800 pupils and 70 teachers, including 44 hearing-impaired learners in a specialised unit. It has also recorded strong performance in national examinations and co-curricular activities.

Zoomlion distributed scholastic materials to pupils and committed to longer-term collaboration in tree planting, perimeter security support and environmental education.

The initiative seeks to involve local communities, particularly young people and waste pickers, in the emerging circular economy. Zoomlion says its operations have created more than 5,000 direct and indirect green jobs, with opportunities expected in recycling, organic fertiliser processing and material recovery.

The company is also urging county governments to consider Public-Private Partnerships as a sustainable approach to waste management, arguing that private investment, technical expertise and proven waste-management technologies can help turn dumpsites into economic hubs.

Zoomlion Kenya Waste Services Ltd is a subsidiary of the Jospon Group of Companies, which has operations in environmental management across several African countries. The company says its experience in Ghana includes the decommissioning and capping of historical landfills and their transformation into green spaces.

For Nairobi, the ultimate goal of the Safisha Kanairo campaign is to move away from the cycle of waste piling up, being removed and returning months later, towards a system where waste is treated as a resource.

If successful, the planned waste-to-value system could see material currently ending up in dumpsites converted into fertiliser, plastic products and employment opportunities, while creating cleaner and healthier neighbourhoods across the capital.