Kenya on Wednesday decried the lack of capacity within Africa to safely manage and dispose of electrical and electronic waste (E-waste), a serious threat to human health. Speaking in Nairobi where he opened a three-day Pan Africa Forum on E-Waste in Nairobi, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka described E- waste as an emerging environmental challenge in the continent which called for a concerted effort to tackle. “The proliferation of E-waste is an emerging environmental challenge for which most countries in Africa lack the necessary technological expertise to handle,” he told senior government and private sector representatives including academia from 15 African countries who are meeting meet in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. The meeting aims to map out sustainable solutions for the rising levels of electronic waste (E-waste) in the continent. According to the UN Environment Program (UNEP) obsolete computers, refrigerators, televisions, mobile phones and other devices (often originating from Europe) are routinely disposed on uncontrolled dumpsites across Africa, posing serious threats to human and environmental health. Kenya National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) indicates that Kenya generates over 3,000 tonnes of e-waste annually, a figure that is set to rise as demand for electronic goods increases. The figure, according to Nema, is rapidly increasing as the country’s population rises and prices of electronic gadgets fall. However, Musyoka noted that despite the high proliferation of electronic and electrical equipment in the continent little had been done towards safe management and disposal of the resultant e- waste. “These guidelines define the types of E-waste, relevant stakeholders and appropriate procedures for importation of electrical and electronic equipment into the country. They provide procedures for the subsequent handling, transportation, disposal and recycling of E-waste as well as roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders,” he said. Experts observe that Kenya’s problems, like in many other countries, is compounded by increased pace of technological development, which leads to obsolescence of electronic items. Musyoka assured that Kenya will continue to be a party to the relevant multilateral environmental agreements including the Basel Conventions in her quest to address e-waste management. “We will explore available options and opportunities contained in international instruments which Kenya is a signatory to including the Bamako as well as the Basel Conventions which prohibits the importation of any hazardous waste,” he added.
