The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), in collaboration with police officers from Kyumbi, has arrested eight traders for using banned plastic bags at Kyumbi/Makutano Market in Machakos.
The traders were found in possession of 1,000 illegal plastic bags during a joint inspection by NEMA’s Nairobi and Machakos enforcement teams.
They were taken to Kyumbi Police Station and will be arraigned at Mavoko Law Court on Friday.
Shien Koyiet from NEMA’s Enforcement Department warned that despite the plastic ban being in place since 2017, some traders continue to defy the law. He reiterated that those caught risk arrest and prosecution.
“We are tracking down manufacturers and suppliers of these illegal plastic bags. However, traders are refusing to disclose their sources,” Koyiet said, adding that NEMA remains committed to enforcing the ban due to the environmental hazards caused by plastics, especially during the rainy season when they clog drainage systems and contribute to flooding.
NEMA Eastern Regional Director Patrick Lekenit termed the operation a success, crediting the collaboration between the National Police Service, NEMA Police Unit and Machakos NEMA officials.
Lekenit noted that while the circulation of banned plastic bags has declined over the years, a significant portion still enters Kenya through cross-border trade, with an estimated 80 per cent originating from neighboring countries where such bans are not enforced.
He urged traders and residents to switch to government-approved alternative bags and called on the public to report suppliers and manufacturers via the NEMA hotline, assuring whistleblowers of confidentiality.
