Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is facing strong criticism after Nairobi County awarded a long term waste management contract to Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a foreign company that has previously faced corruption concerns.
The 20 year deal, said to be worth billions of shillings, has raised questions about transparency, accountability, and whether the agreement protects the interests of city residents.
The contract gives Zoomlion exclusive rights to manage waste collection and oversee operations at the 76 acre Dandora dumpsite. It also allows the company to run an integrated solid waste management system across Nairobi.
Critics say the length of the contract is worrying. A 20 year agreement means the deal could remain in place through several future county governments, limiting their ability to review or change it.
Civil society groups and transparency advocates argue that such a large and long term commitment should have gone through wide public participation and strict oversight.
They say the public has not been given full details about the financial and operational terms of the agreement.
Many residents are now demanding that the county government release the full contract so that taxpayers can understand what obligations have been made on their behalf.
Concerns have also been raised about Zoomlion’s past record. The company was previously blacklisted by the World Bank and was later dropped by the Ghanaian government over integrity issues.
Because of this history, critics are questioning why Nairobi County chose the firm to handle one of the city’s most important public services.
Reports indicate that Zoomlion was the only bidder in the tender process under Tender No: NCC ENV RFP 109 2025 2026, which was opened in January 2026. This has led to further questions about whether the procurement process was competitive and lawful.
Some experts claim that key procurement bodies may have been sidelined, which could amount to a violation of public procurement rules.As pressure grows, watchdog groups and residents are calling for investigations and full disclosure.
For many Nairobians, the controversy reflects broader concerns about governance and how major public contracts are awarded.
The county government is yet to provide detailed responses to the claims, but the debate over the garbage tender continues to dominate political discussions in the capital.
