The Climate WorX Mtaani initiative, launched by President William Ruto, aims to provide significant employment opportunities for Kenyan youth while addressing environmental challenges, particularly the rehabilitation of the Nairobi River.
Here’s a detailed overview of the expected compensation for recruits under this initiative.
Compensation Structure
- Daily Wages
Each recruit will earn Sh500 per day. Supervisors, who are also youth, will receive Sh550 per day.
- Payment Schedule:
Payments will be made bi-weekly through mobile money transfers.
After completing a two-week work shift, recruits will take home Sh7,000, while supervisors will earn Sh7,700 at the end of their shifts.
Employment Scale
The initiative plans to recruit approximately 200,000 youth across Kenya, starting with 20,000 in Nairobi.
Each county is expected to have a minimum of 1,500 beneficiaries, supporting various environmental and infrastructure projects.
Work Schedule
Recruits will work on an alternating schedule:
Two weeks on duty, followed by two weeks off.
This structure allows for a flexible working environment while ensuring that a large number of participants can be engaged.
Activities Involved
Participants will engage in a variety of tasks aimed at environmental sustainability and urban development, including:
- Rehabilitation of the Nairobi River.
- Road construction and maintenance.
- Tree planting and nursery development.
- Solid waste management and housing projects
READ: Gov’t to recruit 200,000 youth for jobs across Kenya [How to apply]
Impact of Climate Worx
The Climate WorX project is still in its early stages and consistent monitoring evaluation has to be done to ensure its success despite many failed attempts at cleaning up the river.
The project’s success will largely depend on sustained political goodwill, community participation, and effective coordination among stakeholders.
There are also questions about the enforcement of industrial regulations and whether local businesses will fully commit to sustainable practices.
Past efforts to clean Nairobi River
There have been various efforts to clean the Nairobi River in the past, involving government, international agencies, and community groups, but long-term success has been limited due to several challenges.
Nairobi River Basin Programme (NRBP) (2006-2009)
This initiative focused on landscaping, restoring, and beautifying the riparian zones of the Nairobi River.
Efforts included replanting indigenous trees and plants along riverbanks to prevent soil erosion and filter pollutants.
However, the impact was hampered by ongoing pollution and deforestation, particularly as the growing population encroached on the riparian buffer zones.
Solid Waste Management Initiatives (2007)
In collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the government sought to clear solid waste and debris from the river.
Despite initial success, the benefits were short-lived, as stormwater continued to wash garbage and debris back into the river.
Community-led Efforts and the Nairobi River Life Project (2016)
Local communities, along with support from UN-Habitat, initiated small-scale clean-up projects to restore sections of the river.
These grassroots actions aimed to foster local stewardship and improve inner-city neighborhoods, which has provided momentum for a broader citywide regeneration approach
.
Nairobi Regeneration Committee (2018)
Formed under former President Uhuru Kenyatta, the Nairobi Regeneration Committee aimed to address river pollution comprehensively.
However, the effectiveness of the initiative was questioned due to limited enforcement and the continuation of illegal dumping and industrial waste discharge into the river
The Nairobi Rivers Commission (2023)
The Nairobi Rivers Commission was established by President William Ruto with a more comprehensive approach to clean the river and involve local communities.
The commission aims to hire thousands of youth and women for cleanup activities and tree planting, and it seeks to introduce regulations like plastic taxes and extended producer responsibility to reduce pollution sources.
Each initiative has faced obstacles, from poor enforcement of regulations to inadequate infrastructure for waste and sewage management, as well as resistance from encroaching developments and industries.
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