Youth lead the fight for Nairobi’s clean air

Nairobi’s lungs are shrinking. Once shielded by forests, parks, and tree-lined streets, the city is steadily losing its natural defenses to encroachment and neglect.

The cost is devastating. Outdoor air pollution claims nearly 18,700 premature deaths annually in Kenya, 8,000 of them in Nairobi alone.

About 30 percent of hospital visits in the country are linked to respiratory illnesses, according to the World Health Organization and IQAir.

To rally citizens around solutions, UrbanBetter Nairobi Cityzens Hub convened “Pumzi ya Nairobi: Misitu Yetu, Wajibu Wetu” on 16th of August 2025.

The event combined a 10 km run and 6 km walk with citizen science and storytelling to highlight the urgent need to protect the city’s urban forests.

More than 200 participants, youth, researchers, environmental advocates, and community members started and ended their journey at John Michuki Memorial Park.

Along the way, trained youth leaders used AirBeam3 sensors to track real-time air quality data, contrasting tree-rich areas like City Park and Michuki Park with polluted city streets.

Advocating for Clean Air

For June Kogei, Co-founder of wellness company Detoxispice, the event was about more than fitness.

“We are here today not only for the run and walk but to advocate for clean air. Without it, we keep breathing in pollution that harms our health,” she said.

“We need towns and cities that are clean, green, and safe for raising families, working, and living well. For young people, this is about our future. Running through the city reminds us why forests, parks, and clean air matter. That is why we showed up for this event themed Pumzi ya Nairobi: Misitu Yetu, Wajibu Wetu.”

Tracking the Air We Breathe

Ruth Wambui, Membership Coordinator at the Carbon Market Association of Kenya, founder of Why Did I Impact Media, and a member of the Hub, took part in the walk.

“The goal today was to measure and understand air quality in Nairobi: temperature, humidity, and particulate matter like PM1, PM2.5, and PM10,” she explained.

“At John Michuki Park, the air was fairly good, but moving through Globe, Kipande Road, and Parklands, readings shifted from yellow to orange, meaning unhealthy for vulnerable people. At City Park, readings spiked beyond what the monitor could capture.

This shows how much trees and green spaces matter. Between City Park and Michuki Park, the difference in particulate matter was over 400.

Trees clean the air, regulate temperatures, and make the city livable. For the sake of our children and youth, we must protect these spaces.”

Youth Leading the Charge

Maryam Wangeshi, coordinator of UrbanBetter Nairobi Cityzens Hub, said the run was part of a bigger movement to empower youth and influence city planning.

“This year’s theme, Pumzi ya Nairobi: Misitu Yetu, Wajibu Wetu, reminds us that the air we breathe and the forests we have are our shared responsibility,” she said.

“At the Hub, we train young people as Run Leaders through free online courses. They learn how to organize events and collect air quality data using sensors. Today’s results prove that our green spaces are lifelines. Nairobi is unique with Karura, Ngong, and even a National Park, but they are under constant threat. We are here to say: trees are essential.”

The Hub, hosted under the Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI), already works with 10 Run Leaders who receive stipends and mentorship.

Beyond training, it mobilizes hundreds of young people on WhatsApp, TikTok, LinkedIn, and X to track pollution and share stories from their neighborhoods.

“Clean air is our right. If factories pollute, if transport emissions choke our CBD, or if trees are cut down, we must not remain silent. Youth can use data and advocacy to push for greener transport, cleaner cooking solutions, and better-designed cities,” Wangeshi added.

“We are working with partners like C40 Cities, ICLEI Africa, and the Nairobi County Government to ensure youth voices shape policies. If we influence budgets, development plans, and construction practices, Nairobi can truly become a healthier city.”

An architect by training, she also flagged the risks of indoor air pollution from outdated building materials, poor ventilation, and the proximity of factories to schools and homes.

Addressing air quality, she stressed, requires urban planning that covers both outdoor and indoor spaces.

A Collective Effort

The run was organized by UrbanBetter Nairobi Cityzens Hub with the Kenya Forest Service, supported by Mr. Mukhtar Ismael, Station Manager at John Michuki Memorial Park, and backed by Friends of Karura.

It also built on the deployment of 50 new air quality sensors across Nairobi through the Breathe Cities Initiative and Nairobi City County Government, alongside advanced monitoring stations at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital and Koja Fire Station.

Through partnerships, storytelling, and youth-led data collection, UrbanBetter Nairobi Cityzens Hub hopes to influence policy and inspire everyday citizens to take responsibility for Nairobi’s green lungs.

As June Kogei summed it up:
“Together, we can create cities not just built with infrastructure but surrounded by trees and nature that sustain us.”

Call to Action: Protecting Nairobi’s Green Lungs

Plant and protect trees in your community, support policies that safeguard urban forests, embrace clean cooking and e-mobility solutions, and speak out against pollution in your neighborhood.

Join youth-led initiatives like the UrbanBetter Cityzens Hub and demand better urban planning that delivers greener streets, safe housing, and pedestrian-friendly spaces.

Remember: Misitu Yetu, Afya Yetu, Haki Yetu. Our forests are our health, and protecting them is our right.