COLLECTION,TRANSPORTATION AND DISPOSAL IN NAIROBI 79
students of the latter institution collected waste paper and gave it to the Undugu boys
in Dandora to sell it and make a living. Mukuru CBO, in addition, has a relationship
with waste pickers located at the Dandora dumpsite, in which the CBO strives to
secure continued supply from the pickers by buying whatever waste they bring,
including materials without re-sale value (Kwach and Antoine, 2000). Once again, the
collection efforts inherent to these activities largely stem from the desire to support
waste recycling and composting (see chapter 8 and 12).
4.6. ASSESSING SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT IN SOLID WASTE COLLECTION INNAIROBI
In this section, contribution of the activities of various actors in Nairobi’s solid waste
collection to urban sustainable development is analysed using, as far as possible, the
template developed in chapter 1 of this volume. The subsequent analysis largely
pertains to a sustainable development comparison between the two major service
providers, the NCC and private companies.
Contributions to socio-economic components of sustainable development
User charges and economic viability
An activity may be regarded as economically viable if it can sustain itself. Unfortu-
nately in this case, it was impossible to carry out a cost-benefit analysis that would
allow firm conclusions to be drawn. However, the material does provide us with some
clues on the subject. In general, the solid waste collection activities of the larger
private sector companies are more viable than those of the NCC. Nevertheless, the
economic viability of the private solid waste collection firms, particularly the smaller
ones, is also under serious threat from the intense competition engendered by unre-
stricted entry and lack of control in the sector.
The steady deterioration of solid waste collection activities carried out by the munic-
ipality is closely related to the NCC’s perpetual financial crises. Financial mismanage-
ment, excessive workforce, corruption, poor revenue collection, and debts adversely
affect its solid waste collection operations. The Interim Oversight Board, for instance,
estimates that the current debts and revenues due to the NCC stand at Kshs 7.5 billion.
User charges determine to a large extent the viability and profitability of solid waste
collection activities. Private solid waste collection companies range from large firms
with a clientele of up to 5,000 (Table 4.4) to very small ones with less than 100 clients.
Our survey showed that Urban Waste Management Services, for instance, has only 60.
There is even a category of ‘brief case’ businesses comprising of one or two persons,
without offices or permanent contact addresses that hire or borrow vehicles for waste
transport. Their service is irregular and they charge a minimal fee. They select the
areas they service rather haphazardly and may take a long time before returning to the
same area. They engage in a myriad of other entrepreneurial activities.