Kenya has intensified efforts to transition towards a circular economy following high level talks between the Ministry of Environment and the private sector aimed at shaping a new national framework for sustainable production and waste management.
The meeting with the delegation led by KEPSA Head of KEPSA Consult, Circular Economy & Climate Change Dr. Kinyanjui Koimbori, focused on advancing Kenya’s transition to a circular economy.
Speaking Monday when he hosted a delegation from the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), Environment Principal Secretary Eng. Festus Ngeno welcomed the collaboration, noting that circular economy principles are a key pillar under the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and the Ministry’s Strategic Plan 2023–2027.
The discussions centered on the development of the Circular Economy Strategy and Implementation Plan (CESIP), a national framework aimed at shifting Kenya from the traditional linear “take-make-dispose” model to a more sustainable system that maximizes resource efficiency and minimizes waste.
Dr. Ng’eno emphasised that adopting circular approaches will not only address environmental challenges such as pollution and waste management but also unlock economic opportunities, including job creation and green investment.
The KEPSA team briefed the Principal Secretary on the CESIP development process, which will be implemented over a seven-month period from April to November 2026.
The initiative is being supported technically by the Finnish Innovation Fund (Sitra) through the European Circular Economy Resource Centre, with KEPSA working in consortium with Intellecap Advisory Services.
According to Dr. Koimbori, the strategy will provide a coordinated national roadmap consolidating existing policies and aligning efforts across sectors such as plastics, agriculture, textiles, electronics, and construction areas identified for their high resource intensity and potential for circular innovation.
During the discussions, Dr. Eng. Festus Ng’eno called for a more inclusive and expedited approach to stakeholder engagement.
He urged the team to leverage the Council of Governors (CoG) to gather views from county governments and ensure timely input from devolved units.
Further, he encouraged the use of additional engagement platforms, including virtual platforms, to broaden participation and accelerate the process.
The Principal Secretary also directed that the Ministry’s Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) team be actively involved in the process, particularly those who participated in negotiations on the global plastics treaty and the science-policy panel on chemicals and waste, to enrich the strategy with international best practices and insights.
Dr. Ng’eno underscored the critical role of Kenya’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations, noting that effective implementation will not only improve waste management but also stimulate local manufacturing by promoting recycling, value addition, and sustainable production systems.
The CESIP will be developed through four key phases: inception, situational analysis, stakeholder engagement, and strategy formulation, with participation expected from over 110 stakeholders across government, private sector, academia, and civil society.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deliver a practical, action-oriented strategy that will accelerate Kenya’s transition to a circular economy while supporting climate action, sustainable production, and long-term economic resilience.
The meeting was attended by Molu Wato, Director, Waste Management and Pollution Control in Environment and Climate Change, Karnika Yadav, Director at Intellecap Advisory Services among others.
