VISION

An environmentally conscious and productive Community deriving from a healthy, sustainable, and well-managed Environment within a fast-growing economy.

MISSION

To interpret the EMCA (Cap 387) and other Environmental laws and regulations, applying them in planning, management and regulation of urban environment development and conservation, in partnership with relevant Stakeholders in Kisumu.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE

To enhance the quality of the urban environment through provision of dynamic, effective and efficient sustainable environmental management services and solutions to ensure a clean and healthy environment, consistent with provisions of the constitution of Kenya 2010

Functions of the Department:

The Department draws its functions from the CoK 2010, County Government Act, Urban Areas and Cities Act, EMCA Cap 387

The department’s mandate among the city functions as provided for under schedule I of UACA:-

  • Development Control (Environmental Planning and Management)
  • Solid waste management
  • Air pollution control
  • Noise pollution control
  • Management of Recreational Parks
  • Marine front

 

PROJECTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE DEPARTMENT

Solid waste Management

Objectives of the division:

  1. To implement a sustainable solid waste management system (storage, collection, transportation and disposal)
  2. To strengthen value addition in the Solid Waste Management chain by promoting material recovery

iii. To strengthen capacity for the cleansing crews to improve and sustain cleanliness of the CBD, other strategic streets and extended areas within the city environs

  • The department has been able to improve on routine surface sweeping by both staff and a team of casuals (“Tich Tire” Environment Team, comprising 160 No. from the various informal settlements and the main city approaches of Nyamasaria and Airport. This has helped our city to be clean despite the difficulty from the residents in terms of adhering to dumping only at designated points.
  • The department has been able to completely clear most of the waste disposal hotspots within the CBD and its environs.
  • The department has enhanced the city’s capacity for solid waste management through the procurement of heavy equipment crawler heavy duty excavator, landfill compactor and a backhoe tractor.  This has been supported under KUP
  • Streamlining of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for solid waste management by facilitating revival of the umbrella network organization that was envisioned under KISWAMP to help strengthen the operations of individual operators
  • The department is devolving waste management by coming up with material recovery centers for waste management at the ward level. Already three centers are under construction as pilot study. These are; Pap Mbuta, Manyata peace market and at Maendeleo market. This will reduce the number of wastes reaching the dumpsite and improve waste management within the City.
  • The department has been able to implement recognition system for the SWM champions. This has enable us to know each and every waste dealer within the city and able to do a follow up in case of open and illegal dumping along the roads by some dealers.
  • Partnered with academia under KLIP to benefit from research and development interventions – currently KLIP, through JOOUST is developing proposed structure for strengthening solid waste management as an enterprise, among other interventions

Natural Resource Management

Objectives

  1. i. To enhance the aesthetics of the city by beautifying & maintaining all roundabouts and flower gardens
  2. To maintain all city recreational parks & green spaces within the city in optimal condition to provide recreational, aesthetics and environmental value to the residents of the city

iii. To maintain cleanliness and image of the city by sustainably cutting & clearing all over grown grass and bushes within the city

Under this division the department of Environment has been able to achieve;

  • Routine maintenance of all existing recreational parks (Uhuru, Taifa, Jamhuri, Oile, Jomo Kenyatta grounds , central square, botanical garden) by slashing, general cleaning, gabbage collection, weeding and trimming flower beds.
  • Establishment of a Botanical Garden at Kachok – 600 trees planted (exotic and indigenous), flower hedges done to define walkways, grass lawns planted and pipes for watering plants, perimeter fence complete with gate
  • Beautification and maintaining of roundabouts road islands by weeding, mowing, slashing and trimming flower beds within the city. For instance the airport, roundabout, Aga khan roundabout, KCB Oginga Odinga roundabout, Central Square among others.
  • Grass cutting and bush clearance along major city roads sides, parks and open spaces
  • Acquisition of garden tools and light equipment for maintenance of lawns and gardens (mowers and brush cutter)
  • Acquisition of tractor pulled heavy duty mower together with our personnel has enabled successful slashing of road sides on major roads and feeder roads by cutting grass to low level as required and trimming vegetation. We engaged a contractor to carry out the grass cutting to augment our work force which is not enough for the whole city
  • Inventory on private tree nursery operators developed
  • The department intends to roll out a partnership initiative with and global initiative called Urban Natural Assests (UNA) Rivers programme funded by ICLEI to landscape sections of Auji river and plant trees and bamboo to protect the river bank. This is in line with the Auji Creek proposal outlined in the local detailed urban land use plan
  • Under the Kenya Urban Support Programme (KUSP), the department is implementing “City Green Corridor” project along Kisumu – Busia Road. The project entails streetscaping of the road reserve and the median of the Kisumu – Busia Road, covering a stretch of 7km, from Otonglo Market to EABL

 

Environmental Quality Control and Enforcement

The City is one of the lead agencies under EMCA that are charged with the responsibility of reviewing development applications that require EIA licenses.  This is achieved through review and site scrutiny of the proposed project prior to approval by NEMA

The department receives and documents the EIA reports.

The department is charged by approval of site clearance and assessment on any environmental and social aspects

The department also participates in the e-construction approval process for development applications at the city level

Currently, the department is undertaking several projects to improve service delivery for the residents of Kisumu.

  • Transforming the City through enhanced urban aesthetic
  • Greening the city by coming up with green corridors
  • Material recovery Centers

Noise pollution Control:

To regulate noise pollution within the city to EMCA Cap 387 standards 

Enforcement of Noise regulations:

  • The department routinely identified and maps noise pollution hotspots within the city
  • The department undertakes continuous surveillance and compliance monitoring of noise hotspots
  • Conducted public awareness through radio talk shows

 

Transforming the City through Enhanced Urban aesthetics

The department through the City’s management has embarked on an intensive programme to clean and beautify the city and its environs. We are engaging with various stakeholders, mainly from the private sector to join hands under public-private partnership, in a comprehensive initiative to enhance urban aesthetics through the beautification of roundabouts, gardens, parks and open spaces, urban afforestation and street scapping.