Nairobi County Chief Officer for Environment, Geoffrey Mosiria, has announced a Ksh10,000 cash reward for anyone who reports scrap metal dealers buying vandalised county dustbins.

In a statement on Monday, August 25, Mosiria said the incentive will supplement the existing Ksh5,000 reward for tip-offs on individuals caught vandalising or stealing the bins.

He clarified that the money is not from county coffers but from his personal salary. Mosiria further noted that once suspects are arrested, the county will pursue legal action against them.

“It is unfortunate that after we reinstalled dustbins in the CBD, some individuals have resorted to vandalising them and stealing parts of these public facilities. As the County Government, we will not tolerate such acts,” Mosiria said. 

“For those scrap metal buyers who are buying bins that belong to the county government, we are coming from you. The Ksh5,000 offer for anyone who reports people who vandalise and sell dustbins is still there, but for those who will spot scrap metals with these bins, I will give them Ksh10,000.”

He also revealed that a crackdown has begun on street families allegedly being used to carry out the vandalism.

“We are also going to arrest the street families that are being used to steal the dustbins, and after that, we will go after the individuals who are also sending the street families to do such actions,” Mosiria said.

The county’s newly installed pedestrian dustbins, introduced in May, have become a target for vandals due to their size and design, which make them valuable when sold to rogue scrap dealers.

Mosiria emphasised that residents must use the bins responsibly, noting that eliminating vandalism is key to restoring Nairobi’s cleanliness and improving the quality of life in the city.

The dustbins were rolled out alongside the county’s concrete paving works on major pedestrian walkways, including Moi Avenue, to improve mobility.

At the same time, modern street lighting was also put up to boost visibility, security, and the overall ambience of the city.