Solid Waste Management (SWM) at a University Campus (Part 2/10): Review on Legal Framework and Background to SWM, in-Kenya

Abstract

This-review is a-second-piece, in-a-series of 10. It-is focused on SWM, at a-Kenyan-context, and it is the-most-comprehensive and up-to-date-coverage (currently-available) on Legal-Foundation/framework, to-SWM, in-Kenya (proving chronological-account for the-last 70 years), and including: Codes, Acts, Regulations, Rules, Policies, Bills, Action-Plans, the-Constitution, Flagship-projects, and a-Product-Ban. This-review have justified, that Kenya, indeed, has made substantial-efforts, at-the-policy-arena, to-oversee, regulate, and promote good-practices, in-SWM. The-relevant-efforts, manifested by Kenya, as: (1) being a-signatory, or a-party-to, the-main-International-Conventions and Treaties; (2) enacting numerous-laws and by-laws; and (3) creating institutions and systems, at-different-levels of governance. The-problem, however, is in the-proper-implementation/enforcement of the-laws. Logically, even most- progressive-laws, are worth absolutely-nothing, and remained-good, only on-paper, if not implemented. The-task, therefore, remains, for the-national and local-governments, as-well-as other-SWM-stakeholders, to-make-every possible-effort strictly implementing the-existing-laws and regulations. To-achieve this-task the-capacity development in, and financial-sustainability of, MSWM, is necessary. This-study have also-exposed multi-dimensional and complex-nature of the-existent challenge of MSWM, in-the-country. To-achieve the-SDGs and the-Kenya-Vision-2030, Kenya should focus (as a-long-time objective) on a-complete transformation, of the-current unsatisfactory-MWM-system, to sustainable-waste and resource- management. Ambitious-target of 100% waste-collection, to all-urban-citizens (regardless of income-level, and including: informal-settlements, slums, and peri-urban areas), should-be focused-on. An-innovative Results-Based Financing-model, of SWM; Upgrading of the-current waste-dumping-sites to designed-sanitary-landfills; and Change of habits, and cultural-perceptions, towards waste, was also proposed.

Keywords: Environmental law, local government, good governance, Waste hierarchy, ISWM, capacity development.