This year’s World Habitat day celebrations took place at the United Nations Headquarters in Nairobi, with H.E President Uhuru Kenyatta, leading the country in co-hosting with Indonesia.

Among those in attendance at the celebrations were County Governors: H.E Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko – Nairobi City County , Governor Prof. Anyang' Nyong'o – Kisumu County, H.E Governor Francis Kimemia – Nyandarua County , H.E Governor Lee Kinyanjui- Nakuru County and other high ranking National Government and County Government Officials.

Under the theme “Municipal Solid Waste Management”, the purpose of marking this day was to reflect on the state of our towns and cities, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. It is also intended to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns.

According to H.E Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko, Governor of Nairobi City County, the County Government was fully in support of the President’s agenda by making available its old estates for urban regeneration. Under the programme, Nairobi City County has invited investors to construct over 20,000 houses in over 15 residential areas.

“In addition, we have declared the large Mukuru slum to be a special planning area, to enable the county government pilot a slum upgrading programme that will give land tenure to thousands of residents, and allow the county government to provide basic services in the densely populated area,” said Governor Sonko.

Speaking on behalf of the Council of Governors, Governor Prof. Anyang' Nyong'o, noted that Municipal solid waste was a growing environmental and health concern globally and especially here in Kenya, and that rapid urbanization was taking place in most of the country’s major cities and towns. He added that without proper urban planning and design the results would be major contributor to municipal solid waste menace in most of the counties.

The Executive Director of the UN-Habitat, Maimuna Shariff, said 2 billion tonnes of waste is generated on a daily basis globally meaning that each human being is responsible for one kilo of waste. “Each of us play a role in generating waste meaning that each of us can play a role in reducing it,” she said.

In his opening speech, H.E President Uhuru Kenyatta, called upon the need in finding an effective way of dealing with solid waste because as urbanization continues to expand, urban waste will continue becoming a bigger challenge.

In addition, President Kenyatta, said Kenya was proud to have a clear and detailed set of rules for the management of the environment and natural resources key among them the National Solid Waste Management Strategy (2015), adding that the goal of sustainable management of solid waste was attainable because it dovetails with other global goals and the country’s own development objectives including the Big Four Agenda.

The President presented awards to winners of the 2018 UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour. The winners included Xuzhou City in Jiangsu Province, China for promoting holistic and broad-based approaches to ecological restoration through intelligent waste-management.

The Institute of Physical Planning of Cuba was awarded for implementing positive urban and territorial change by integrating and implementing principles of the New Urban Agenda.

The Mayor of Surabaya City, Indonesia, Ms. Tri Rismaharirni, was awarded for implementing people-centered and inclusive city regeneration and development initiatives prioritizing low income residents to ensure they are not left behind.

Mr. Isaac Muasa, Chairman of Mathare Environmental Conservation Youth Group, from Kenya was awarded for harnessing the potential of disadvantaged youth and inspiring community-wide involvement in solid waste management.

A posthumous award was given to the Late Dr Mona Serageldin who was Vice President of the Institute for International Urban Development, USA