The Auditor General’s report for the County Executive of Nairobi for the financial year ending June 2023 has uncovered a significant issue concerning the ownership of land where the Dandora dumpsite is located.
According to Auditor General Nancy Gathungu, the dumpsite spans approximately 50 hectares, but City Hall possesses ownership documents for only 15.02 hectares of the total area.
The report highlights a concerning gap between the land City Hall claims ownership of and the actual size of the dumpsite, with 34.98 hectares lacking any ownership documents. This discrepancy poses a risk of potential loss or misappropriation of the land if ownership is not regularized.
The Dandora dumpsite, which was established in 1975 with funding from the World Bank, has faced challenges related to its ownership in the past. In 2001, after 26 years of operation, the dumpsite reached full capacity. Subsequently, in 2016, a German firm contracted by City Hall to set up a power plant at the dumpsite withdrew from the project due to the lack of a title deed for the land.
The firm, Sustainable Environment Management UG, had requested the title deed for the 30-acre portion of the dumpsite before investing in the project. The proposed power plant aimed to utilize waste as raw material to generate renewable energy, potentially producing up to 160MW of power daily.
The revelation underscores the urgent need for City Hall to address the issue of land ownership at the Dandora dumpsite to prevent further complications and ensure proper management of the site.
