Kisii to Host National World Cleanup Day Celebrations as 15,000 Expected to Attend

KISII, Kenya Sep 20 – Kisii County will host Kenya’s national observance of World Cleanup Day, with more than 15,000 people expected to participate in the event, Governor Simba Arati has said.

Arati said Kisii had been selected to champion this year’s theme, “From Clean Plates to Clean Cities,” which focuses on reducing food waste as part of efforts to build cleaner and more sustainable urban centres.

Speaking at the Kisii Agricultural Training Centre ahead of the celebrations, the governor said more than 12 governors, Members of Parliament, non-governmental organisations, development partners and representatives from UN-Habitat are expected to attend the national event in Kisii Town.

“We are honoured as Kisii County to host World Cleanup Day. This is a global event, and for UN-Habitat to consider Kisii shows the transformation we have made as a county in solid waste management,” Arati said.

The governor cited the transformation of the Nyambera dumpsite into a recreational park as one of the county’s key achievements in waste management.

“When we came in, Nyambera was a notorious dumpsite that posed health risks to residents. We have transformed it into a park, a clean and green public space. That is the essence of moving from waste to value, from a dirty city to a clean city,” he said.

Arati said the county had also rolled out household waste sorting, market clean-ups and community composting initiatives as part of efforts to reduce waste and promote environmental conservation.

He said the 2026 World Cleanup Day theme highlights the link between food waste and urban cleanliness.

“Every year, 1.05 billion tonnes of food is wasted globally, contributing to 8-10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. We are telling our people that a clean city starts from a clean plate at home — avoid food waste, sort waste, compost and keep your environment clean,” Arati said.

UN-Habitat is expected to support the global campaign through advocacy toolkits and showcase Kisii’s waste management initiatives during the worldwide observance.

The governor urged residents across Kisii County to participate in clean-up activities organised in all sub-counties.

“This is not just a county event, it is a global event being watched worldwide. Let us all come out and make Kisii shine as the cleanest town in Kenya,” Arati said.

World Cleanup Day is observed globally on September 20, with Shaoxing, China, serving as the global host city this year, while Kisii will host Kenya’s national observance.