Kenya Power-City Hall dispute exposed Sakaja's poor leadership – CS Duale

Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has criticised Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja following the dumping of waste at Kenya Power offices in a dispute between City Hall and Kenya Power. He described the incident as a failure in leadership.

Speaking on Thursday during an interview with NTV, Duale condemned the actions of the county. "That was, I think, the lowest moment in terms of leadership of Nairobi County. You cannot use the environment to settle any kind of disputes."

"I spoke to the governor, and it showed poor leadership. That is not how people should resolve issues. It was not only KPLC affected—there were restaurants and a neighbourhood there," Duale added.

The conflict began when Kenya Power disconnected electricity to several Nairobi County offices on February 14, 2025, over an unpaid bill of Sh3 billion.

In retaliation, the county government took drastic measures on Monday, including dumping rubbish outside KPLC headquarters, blocking sewer lines, and cutting off the water supply to its buildings.

However, Duale noted that such actions should not be used to settle disputes and urged authorities to ensure accountability.

The CS revealed that the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) had acted swiftly by issuing a restoration order to City Hall, directing the removal of the waste.

Duale also stated that NEMA was ready to take legal action against county officials after they failed to comply. "As a regulator, I directed NEMA that morning. They held a press conference and carried out the restoration. The next day, they were ready to charge Nairobi County officials in court."

The CS also accused the police of failing to enforce the law and allowing the standoff to escalate. He questioned why the police did not intervene immediately, arguing that law enforcement should have taken charge and ensured the waste was cleared.

"I expected them (police officers) to tow those rubbish collection vehicles and instruct the county officials to remove the waste," Duale added.

Governor Sakaja on Wednesday expressed regret over how the county handled the matter, particularly the actions of enforcement officers who oversaw county trucks offloading rubbish at Kenya Power premises and temporarily cutting off the water supply.

"It was, of course, unfortunate that one of the trucks tipped rubbish. That was not the intention," he said.

Sakaja stated that all services which had been cut off due to the dispute would be restored.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has called for an investigation into claims of illegal waste dumping and sewer system disruption at Kenya Power premises.

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The ODPP has directed relevant public health, environment, and sanitation agencies to look into the matter and submit a report within seven days.