Role of Stakeholder Participation in Solid Waste Management and Restoration of Ngong River in Nairobi City County, Kenya
Loading...
Date
2025-10
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
River’s ecosystem provides support and cultural roles through nutrient recycling and recreation services. Globally urban rivers are vital water resources that are being altered through introduction of pollutants by urbanisation, industrialization and agricultural activities. Ngong River, is a vital water resource which is heavily polluted due to improper waste disposal. Despite restoration programmes that have been ongoing for decades and efforts to develop and implement restoration strategies such as integrated system of solid waste management, little has been achieved. The aim of this study therefore, was to examine the role of stakeholder participation in solid waste management as a strategy towards restoration of Ngong River. Descriptive survey research design was used to address the problem of the study. Data for this study was obtained through the use of questionnaires, and key informant interviews. Cluster sampling, and simple random sampling were used to administer 243 questionnaires to the households within Ngong River riparian area, and waste collectors in Kibera Slum. While purposive sampling was used in selection of 30 respondents; community leader and officials from institutions such as Nairobi City County Government, National Environment Management Authority, Nairobi Rivers Commission, Non-Governmental Organizations and Community Based Organizations operating in solid waste management in Kibera Slum. Questionnaires were used to obtain information on the types and characteristics of household solid waste in Ngong River and stakeholder restoration strategies and on the effectiveness of stakeholder’s role in solid waste management. In addition, key informant interviews were used in obtaining data on the effectiveness of stakeholder’s role in solid waste management. Statistical Package for Social Science and Microsoft Excel were used for statistical analysis to generate frequencies, percentage, ordinal regression, and Spearman’s rank-order correlation analysis. Furthermore, distributions of dumping sites in Kibera Slum were mapped and were processed using ArcMap. The results were presented in form of tables, graphs, and pie charts. The findings revealed that the solid waste management strategies that were implemented were slightly effective based on 48 % of the respondents. Furthermore, regression analysis (p<0.001) shows a significant relationship between the strategies used in solid waste management and the restoration of the Ngong River. There was also a significant relationship between the types and characteristics of household solid waste collection by service providers(rho=0.005). Among stakeholders, Nairobi City County Government was rated ineffective (75%) in waste collection and disposal services. The role of stakeholder participation was imperative in solid waste management and river restoration though significant gaps undermined its effectiveness. Impacts of solid waste management strategies implemented were not realized fully. High demand, inconsistent service delivery, operational costs, unreliable collection schedules, weak enforcement of policies etc, negatively affected types and characteristics of household waste collection service, and effectiveness of stakeholder’s role, thus posing challenge to the restoration process. The study recommends holistic approach to improving solid waste management in restoration of heavily polluted Ngong River restoration and these include; institutionalization of community clean-up campaigns, enforcing segregation of household’s waste, and defining stakeholder’s roles in restoration to avoid overlapping among others
Description
A Research Project Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Environmental Planning and Management in the School of Engineering and Architecture of Kenyatta University October 2025
Supervisor;
1.Aggrey Thuo