From garbage mountain to green haven: How Arati gave Kisii’s ugliest dump site a new life

For years, Nyambera served as a repulsive dumpsite on the outskirts of Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital. It was a chaotic wasteland filled with rotting garbage, plastic bags, discarded food, broken bottles and foul-smelling waste, attracting flies, marabou storks and stray dogs. The putrid smell permeated the air, marking it as a symbol of neglect, pollution and urban decay.

During heavy rains, dirty water oozed from the waste, turning the surrounding area into a muddy mess, raising concerns about environmental contamination. Despite these issues, there has been a remarkable change. Once an eyesore, the site is now a scenic recreational space, complete with trees, gardens and areas for residents to sit, stroll and relax.

The transformation came about after the Kisii County Government, led by Governor Simba Arati, decided to decommission the dumpsite and repurpose the land for public use. Residents like Nancy Hillary and John Kerosi have expressed their satisfaction with the change, noting the improvement in their quality of life. For Governor Arati, the project is not merely about beautification, but about changing the way the county handles waste.

He has promoted the idea of turning waste into an economic resource through sorting, recycling and manure production. The county has invested in waste-management equipment and established a material recovery facility for waste sorting and recycling. This approach aims to move Kisii away from indiscriminate dumping towards a system where waste can generate economic value.

Governor Arati views the transformation of Nyambera as symbolic, signifying a shift from garbage to greenery, and from scavenging birds to families gathering for recreation. However, the beauty of the transformed site also brings a responsibility for the county to sustain garbage collection, enforce disposal regulations, protect the reclaimed land and prevent the return of another mountain of rubbish.

Despite these responsibilities, the residents of Kisii celebrate Nyambera's rebirth as proof that even the most neglected urban spaces can be reclaimed, restored, and returned to the people as a green haven.