Bamburi Cement Limited, a member of the Lafarge Group, and the Mombasa County Government have entered into a Ksh4.8 billion partnership to develop a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly solid waste management system for Mombasa County.
The deal will see Bamburi, Lafarge and development partners invest Ksh2.8 billion in financing a feasibility study and providing expertise and equipment to help boost the county government’s waste management capacity. Ksh2 billion will be in kind, equivalent to the value of the land the company will provide for handling solid waste. Most of the waste will be used to generate alternative fuel for the manufacture of cement.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed today by Mombasa Governor Honorable Hassan Joho and Bamburi Cement Limited Managing Director, Hussein Mansi, the cement firm and the county government will undertake a joint feasibility study seeking solutions to the perennial problem of waste management facing the County.
“One of the County’s major goals is achievement of sustainable development without degrading the natural environment which the population depends on. Proper disposal of solid waste impacts the health and safety of people, negative visual effect and environmental sustainability. This project’s main objective is to address the challenges of solid waste by developing an integrated solid waste management system,” said Mr. Mansi at the signing ceremony.
“A solid waste management plan integrating the complementarily between landfill and cement kiln recovery will favor the attainment of environmental and social goals and is in line with mission of Lafarge of Building Better Cities. This project, which will become the first of its kind in Sub Saharan Africa, demonstrates our commitment to this vision and we are honored to be partnering with the County Government of Mombasa on management of solid waste recovery and disposal,” noted Mr. Mansi.
He added that Bamburi was keen on utilizing alternative fuels derived from solid waste to reduce use of fossil fuels, preserve natural resources and reduce carbon dioxide emissions to improve climate change. On his part the Governor, Hassan Joho, hailed the partnership with Bamburi saying it would be a sustainable solution to waste management. “Planning for solid waste management is the weakest link in the solid management strategy for Mombasa. The partnership with Bamburi will contribute significantly to achieving this goal,” remarked Joho. He added that the county government was committed to improving the quality of life of Mombasa residents by improving the environment in which they live and that the signing of the partnership with Bamburi Cement is a great milestone for the county.
There has not been any major study on solid waste management in Mombasa in the last five decades other than the feasibility study undertaken by French Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD) which detailed collection, transport and landfilling. Bamburi will use this platform to enhance the feasibility study to include recovery of garbage waste to fuel element.
Most of the garbage collected in Mombasa is dumped at the Kibarani and Mwakirunge dumpsites which has been in use for over fifty years.
Bamburi Cement brings a wealth of expertise to the partnership which is drawn from the wider Lafarge network that has spent years in development of waste management systems.
The MOU signing ceremony was witnessed by the French Ambassador to Kenya H.E. Remi Marechaux, Senior County officials and the Business Community. Mr Marechaux said his government will consider financial support for the integrated waste management project being undertaken in partnership between Bamburi Lafarge and the County Government.