In western Kenya, the Nyakomisaro River is sinking under piles of plastic waste. But along its banks — and those of a nearby river — hope is returning as the community fights back.
Harrison Nyacheo stands where the path meets the water, his eyes fixed on the river winding through his hometown. Once it carried clean water from the highlands to Lake Victoria. Today, its surface is littered with plastic bottles and bags — a sign of a town growing faster than its waste systems.
“If you look at this river,” Nyacheo says, his voice tired but steady, “it’s full of bottles, almost like a dumping site.” For him and other residents, the river is not only water but a reflection of a shared struggle — even as small signs of change are beginning to show.
From the bridges in Kisii town, piles of bottles, papers, and packaging cling to the riverbanks. Rapid urban growth has outpaced proper waste management, turning the waterway into a drain.
“Some people even dig garbage pits close to the banks,” Nyacheo explains. “When it rains, plastics are washed straight into the water.” He blames the lack of public bins — but also what he calls poor attitudes. “We keep urging people to keep our environment clean.”
For businesswoman Risper Mochere, the cause is clear: careless behaviour. “People throw bottles and papers from the road and bridge,” she says. Still, she sees hope. “The youth collecting plastics are doing a good job. If unemployed youth were paid for this work, we could save our rivers.”
One of those collectors is Peter Oguta. Each morning, he picks plastic along the Nyakomisaro with a sack in hand. “This plastic comes from people’s homes,” he says as he bends to collect another bottle. “It used to end up in the river, but now it’s everywhere.”
The work is relentless. “Every morning, I collect about 20 kilos of plastic, and by evening another 20,” he says. It is a small effort against a huge problem.
Oguta’s effort has found support from Nelcus Osumo Lameck, founder of the Environment Homage Foundation. His group of 200 members works with the county government to rehabilitate the Nyakomisaro.
“This river flows into Lake Victoria, so it affects more than Kisii,” Lameck says. His foundation has launched a five-year plan that includes installing security cameras, placing modern bins, and expanding community outreach. He often reminds locals: “One plastic bottle can take 500 years to decompose.”
About 10 kilometres away, River Mekenye tells a different story. Its water now runs clear after the community fenced it off, stopped dumping, and began recycling plastics through the Precious Plastics project.
“We even tested the water,” says community leader Calvin Ondiek. “Before, chemicals from farms polluted it. Now, the Water Resources Authority confirmed it is safe.”
Kenya produces about 966,000 tonnes of plastic waste each year. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), this is expected to rise to 5 million tonnes by 2030. Only seven percent is recycled, and at least 37,000 tonnes end up in rivers and seas.
Environmental expert Griffins Ochieng warns that recycling alone won’t solve the problem. “Plastic production keeps rising,” he says. “Pollution has reduced slightly, but we need stronger international standards.”
Still, the change in Kisii offers hope. On the Nyakomisaro, the work is heavy and slow. But with plastic pickers, activists, and communities like Mekenye showing what is possible, there’s proof that even rivers choked with waste can run clean again.
