By John Kariuki
As Kenya marked World Environment Day 2025, the Director General of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Mamo B Mamo EBS, emerged as a leading voice calling for urgent action to address the country’s escalating waste crisis.
Speaking during national commemorations, Mamo highlighted the alarming rate at which Kenya is generating solid waste and the equally disturbing lack of sustainable management.
> “Kenya generates approximately 22000 tonnes of solid waste every day, amounting to a staggering 8 million tonnes annually. Alarmingly, only 7 percent of this waste is recycled, while the rest is either mismanaged or left to pollute our environment, clogging our waterways and harming natural ecosystems,” Mamo stated.
His remarks struck a chord as the world celebrated this year’s theme: Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience. Mamo emphasized that Kenya cannot address land degradation and environmental decay without confronting the solid waste challenge head on.
He warned that continued mismanagement of waste, particularly plastic, poses a threat not only to ecosystems but also to public health, climate resilience, and food security. “We are literally choking our cities and poisoning our natural heritage,” he said.
Under Mamo’s leadership, NEMA has been at the forefront of advocating for policy reforms, including the implementation of the Sustainable Waste Management Act 2022 and the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations. He has also pushed for enhanced public private partnerships and county level accountability in waste management.
Mamo urged all Kenyans—citizens, companies, and county governments alike—to play their part in reducing pollution and transitioning toward a circular economy. He commended youth and grassroots organizations that marked the day with cleanup exercises, environmental education, and tree planting activities.
As the effects of climate change intensify, Mamo’s message was clear: environmental conservation must move from words to action. “Beating plastic pollution is not a one day affair, it is a continuous national duty,” he concluded.
World Environment Day 2025 served not only as a day of reflection but as a rallying cry for collective responsibility and urgent reforms, with Mamo B Mamo leading the charge.
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