PHOTOS: Govt slammed after taking Queen Mary of Denmark to tour Dandora dumpsite

A visit by Queen Mary of Denmark to the Dandora dumpsite in Nairobi has stirred debate online, with Kenyans questioning the image the tour projected about the country.

The tour, part of the Queen’s three-day stay in Kenya, saw her accompany Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano to inspect an environmental rehabilitation programme supported by the Danish development agency Danida.

Sharing photos of the visit on X, CS Miano said the initiative represents a broader commitment to sustainable development.

“Through support from Danida, this initiative is transforming one of our toughest environmental challenges. By supporting the livelihoods of waste pickers, transitioning them into formal, green jobs and turning land challenges into community assets, hence reducing pollution and advancing our Vision 2030 goals,” she wrote.

This morning, accompanying Her Majesty Queen Mary of Denmark on a site visit to the Dandora Landfill project, a powerful symbol of the strong Kenya-Denmark partnership.

This is more than just about waste management but a commitment to Green Growth, Economic Development &… pic.twitter.com/TzxWsfpmwS

— CS Rebecca Miano, EGH (@rebecca_miano) December 11, 2025

The photos, however, triggered backlash online, with some Kenyans questioning why a foreign monarch had been taken to a dumpsite.

“And a whole CS is proud to show that we can't handle our dumpsite innovatively,” wrote romiboke on X.

“Man, Africa is a funny place; a person takes a flight all the way out here to visit a landfill project. Will we ever get the basics right? The very simplest, minute basics--- like garbage?” asked Odinga Fanuel.

“Poverty tourism. Have you no shame?” asked another.

Why Queen Mary is in Kenya

Queen Mary arrived in the country on Tuesday night and was received at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.

He was accompanied by CS Miano.

During her visit, she is expected to tour conservation and development projects for endangered species on the Coast.

Aside from the landfill tour, she is scheduled to attend the UNEA-7 meeting at the United Nations Office in Nairobi, where global leaders are deliberating on environmental policies and climate commitments.

Mudavadi lauded the visit as a platform to strengthen Kenya–Denmark collaboration in renewable energy, climate action and environmental protection.

“It presents opportunities to explore new areas of partnership and innovation that benefit both nations, particularly in people-centred and sustainable development initiatives,” he said.