Nairobi City County Government is on the move to have an energy plant at Dandora dumpsite on a project that will see wastes recycled and converted to energy.
An Expression of Interest (EOI) advert has been posted on the government portal for posting government tenders, inviting those interested to bid for it.
“Expression of Interest (EOI) to design, build, finance, maintain and operate and transfer a waste to energy processing plant in Dandora Nairobi,” it reads in part.
In an interview with Ghetto Radio News Environment Chief Officer Hibrahim Otieno Nyakach says the project will allow an open dumping of waste, recycling and reduction of toxic emissions to Dandora residence.
“Expectations is that we will receive applications from different international firms to do that, how will this then improve our services? We are looking for a controlled scenario where we have continued open dumping of waste which of course results in a lot of Green House Gas emissions and when we do waste to energy then there will be GHG emissions… when we now do incineration we will reduce them.” Hibrahim said.
The tendering process and completion of all paper work will take about two years.
Meanwhile more than 600 jobs will be created with county administration optimistic on delivering the project.
“This is a big facility that would employ up-to 600 people because we will be having a material recovery center that must a have a waste stream for recycling and upcycling of wastes, this will need a proper workforce and therefore we expect more job opportunities.
Every day, an estimated 2,000 people mainly women and youths rummage through the Dandora dumpsite desperately hunting through dirty plastic, broken glass and medical waste for recyclables to sell.
BY ALLAN OTIENO
