‘Clean Nairobi Starts With Us’: Second Lady Joyce Kithure Urges Kenyans to Join Clean-Up Campaign

Dr. Joyce Kithure, the spouse of the Deputy President, is pushing for a united front to transform Nairobi into a cleaner, more inviting city for both residents and entrepreneurs. During her visit to Dandora on Saturday, she made it clear that maintaining the city’s hygiene requires a team effort rather than a solo act by the government.

She challenged every stakeholder to step up and play their part in this transformation.

“Nairobi is our capital city, and its cleanliness reflects who we are as a nation. Government alone cannot achieve this goal without the participation of the people,” she noted.

The second lady shared these insights while leading a community clean-up exercise in Nairobi’s Dandora estate. She reminded the public that the same care people give to their living rooms should extend to the streets and markets they use every day.

“As we clean our houses every day, we must also extend the same responsibility to the spaces outside our homes, i.e., the streets, drainage channels, markets, and public spaces where we live and work. A clean Nairobi will not come from policy alone; it will come from the collective effort of its citizens,” Dr. Kithure stated.

She underscored the idea that while laws are important, the real power to change the city lies in the hands of the people who call it home.

This community exercise forms a key part of the Science Adding Value to the Environment and the Communities Initiative (SaVE), a program Dr. Kithure personally leads. The initiative focuses on finding practical solutions and using innovation to spark community action, all with the goal of protecting the environment and making life better for everyone.

Dr. Kithure pointed out that neglected streets do more than just look bad – they pose a genuine threat to public health.

“Poor sanitation exposes our communities to diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and other waterborne infections. Children are especially vulnerable, and as leaders and citizens, we have a duty to protect their health and their future,” she added.

The cleanup in Dandora is just the beginning. Dr. Kithure plans to take this mission to other neighborhoods across the capital, including Kawangware, Kibra, Mathare, Korogocho, Mukuru,  and the Central Business District (CBD)

Dr. Kithure also issued a passionate appeal to all Kenyans to rethink how they handle their trash, specifically to prevent blocked drainage systems that often lead to flooding. She believes that the city’s transformation depends as much on personal behavior as it does on physical labor.

“Cleaning alone is not enough. We must also change our habits. Let us dispose of the waste responsibly. Let us avoid throwing plastics and garbage into drainage systems. Let us educate our children about protecting the environment. And let us support recycling and sustainable waste management,” she urged.

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