By Bisola Adeyemo
Kenya Alliance of Residents Association in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme and the European Union has launched a mobile app to combat garbage menace in the country.
Henry Ochieng, chief executive officer of the residents association, on Monday, said the newly-launched application, ‘Dubbed Hatua’ will allow users to file complaints about poorly disposed waste and report places strewn with garbage such as a bus stop, or garbage trucks dumping waste in residential areas.
“Our current system of reporting environmental pollution is long, tedious and ridden with corruption,” he said.
He noted the aim of the application is to hasten any reports filed by citizens who are often left unattended while some files end up missing in the middle of an investigation.
“Nairobi residents can now report cases of illegal dumping and unsafe disposal of waste through a newly launched mobile application.” He added.
Ochieng said the new platform would ensure users could track their complaints and see the progress in real-time, as most of the complaints relating to illegal dumping come from the informal settlements with Dandora, Eastleigh and Mathare being some of the most affected areas.
“The app will help National Environmental Complaints Committee (NECC) officials work even faster because they will be able to get reports of environmental pollution as they happen,” he said.