A manufacturing plant in Mlolongo has been shut down after discharging untreated chemical waste into the Nairobi River. National Environment Management Authority officers carried out the raid on Tuesday and arrested three people linked to the facility. The action forms part of an intensified government drive against companies violating environmental rules.
The factory specialises in glass, ceramics and concrete production. Officers led by NEMA Director General Mamo Mamo and Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa found the site releasing untreated effluent directly into the river.
Mamo told the press on Tuesday that one suspect was arrested straight away while the other two initially locked themselves inside the premises. He ordered NEMA police to complete the arrests so prosecutions could proceed.
Barasa stated that any facility without a functional effluent treatment plant would face closure. She noted that 70 per cent of wastewater generated in Nairobi is discharged untreated, worsening pollution in urban rivers. The raid followed public complaints after social media images showed white foam flowing from the site.
Founded in 2010, the company operates branches in Nairobi, Machakos and Mombasa counties and employs between 500 and 1,000 workers. The sudden shutdown has raised concerns about possible job losses among staff.
