NAIROBI, Kenya – August 26, 2025 – The Kenya Plastics Pact (KPP) convened its working group for a virtual meeting, charting a bold course for a circular economy. The session was marked by the introduction of a new, influential steering committee and a review of the Pact’s strategy, which has garnered international recognition, including a recent peer-learning program with a delegation from Rwanda.
A key moment of the meeting was the official unveiling of the new KPP steering committee. This diverse group unites key figures from across the plastics value chain, tasked with guiding the Pact towards its ambitious 2030 targets.
The new steering committee members are:
- Mr. Henry Munyao (WWF)
- Mr. Edgar Kioko & Mr. Akshay Shah (Silafrica)
- Dr. Ayub Macharia (NEMA)
- Mr. Albert Nyagechi (KEBS)
- Ms. Enid Kirui (L’Oréal)
- Mr. Richard Kainika (Kenya Association of Waste Recyclers – KAWR)
- Eddy Verbeek (Florensis)
- Naman Ondego (Practical Action)
- Mercy Onyango (Sunworld)
- Lucy Ngorongo (Junky Bins)
- James Odongo (KEPRO)
- Gathoni Methu (PAKPRO)
- Carlotta Dallago (Anjarwalla & Khanna)
Karin Boomsma, leading the meeting, expressed her enthusiasm for the new team. “I am very happy to present the new members of the Steering Committee,” she announced. “We have a diverse group representing hopefully the majority of all our sorts of members and actors of the Pact… I’m very proud to have everyone.”
New members shared their vision for their two-year term, highlighting a collective drive towards action and collaboration. Akshay Shah, Group Executive Director at Silafrica, emphasized the need to move from discussion to implementation. “We’ve made a lot of progress in KPP in defining the standards and setting some targets. I’ve always been keen to sort of have a bias towards action. So you know, more action and less talk,” he stated. Shah also pointed to the informal sector as a key area of focus, noting, “There is a lot of opportunity to activate and mobilize the informal sector in a way that is a win-win for the environment and for the individuals.”
Representing the tourism industry, Mercy Onyango of Sunworld Safaris spoke of the responsibility her sector holds. “Being in the steering committee, as I said, is a responsibility to show an example of what the tourism industry can contribute in dealing with this,” she explained. Onyango shared how simple actions, like replacing single-use plastic bottles with refillable ones, have already made a significant impact in their operations.
Henry Munyao of WWF highlighted the importance of collaboration. “We believe in collaboration as one of our key values for work,” he said, adding, “Our objective is to have a planet where we live in harmony with nature… and therefore our interest in joining or supporting Kenya Plastics Pact.”
The meeting also acknowledged the significant contributions of the outgoing steering committee, who included Mr. Alex Kubasu (WWF), Mr. Daniel Paffenholz (Takataka Solutions), Mr. Gisore Nyabuti (Association of Kenya Waste Pickers), Mr. Hiram Wahome (L’Oréal) and Mr. Vimal Shah (BIDCO). Boomsma expressed her gratitude, commending their foundational work in shaping the Pact’s progress. Prackisidis Wandera, the event organiser at Kenya Plastics Pact, also warmly welcomed the incoming committee, remarking: “We welcome all the new steering committee members, and it’s truly inspiring to hear the vision and goals you are bringing on board.”
The session also covered the KPP’s recent successes, including a peer-to-peer learning exchange with a Rwandan delegation focused on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). This initiative underscores Kenya’s growing leadership in regional plastic waste management.
Looking forward, the KPP is organizing its annual summit in November, which will feature the launch of the “No SUP List” campaign with WWF to tackle single-use plastics in the hospitality sector. With a refreshed leadership and a clear, actionable strategy, the Kenya Plastics Pact is more equipped than ever to drive the nation towards a sustainable, circular economy for plastics.
