Kibera World Toilets Day - Planning Meeting
The Nairobi Rivers Commission boardroom held more coffee cups than chairs by midday — a long meeting, the good kind where decisions actually move. Commissioners Eva Muhia and Grace Sennie sat with newly appointed Hon. Lelei, known in the room as ‘Gen Z’, while river coordinators compared notes from across the city.
Hon. Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, the new NRC chairperson, listened as Brigadier Joseph Muracia, the commission’s CEO, paused at the door to greet the team. Dr. Esther Kimani from the chairperson’s secretariat at City County steered the agenda — 18 and 19 November, Undugu Grounds in Kibera, theme: Toilet: A Place for Peace.
Details stacked up — which route dignitaries take, where latrine exhibitors stand, how to speak about sanitation without shaming the poor. Outside, Nairobi traffic roared; inside, someone sketched a map of the grounds on the back of an agenda.
Be at Undugu on the day — bring a neighbour who still uses a plastic bag at night; peace, sometimes, starts with a door that locks.
Project Site Visit by Rotary Club of IPSWICH (USA) and Kikuyu (Kenya)
It was a great and engaging day of partnership and learning as we hosted the International Rotary Club of IPSWICH team, led by Environmental Lawyer Chris and his wife, Jane, Former President of Rotary Club of Kikuyu Hon. George Ngotho and Rotarian Yumbya for a visit to our project implementation sites. The visit provided an opportunity to review the project areas on the ground, discuss implementation priorities, and strengthen our shared commitment to sustainable environmental and community development. We also had the opportunity to visit the Nairobi Rivers Commission (NRC), where we were hosted by Commissioner Dr. Loice Kipkorir, a member of the Ngong River Committee. We explored opportunities to strengthen collaboration and align our work with the Nairobi Rivers Commission's Restoration Framework.
Community Capacity Building Training
We are currently participating in the ongoing PROVE (Public Space Governance Research, Observation, Validation and Experimentation) Pilot Programme, a four-month initiative by Public Space Networks (PSN) bringing together 11 community groups from Kamukunji and Korogocho. The programme focuses on strengthening community organizations’ capacity to manage, protect and improve public spaces as well as restoring rivers and it's ecosystems. The ongoing capacity-building training is helping CBOs and community organizations better understand the connection between public spaces, river restoration and ecosystem conservation, while exploring practical approaches and stronger collaboration among communities, government agencies, development partners and other stakeholders.
High Level NRC & Development Partners Meeting
Representing the Ngong River Regeneration Network, I'm having the privilege of attending a high-level breakfast meeting convened by the Nairobi Rivers Commission (NRC) in collaboration with the Kenya Permanent Mission to UN-Habitat. The meeting has brought together Development Partners, Government Agencies, Private Sector representatives, and Community representatives to deliberate on the restoration and sustainable management of Nairobi’s rivers.