Patrick Chabeda, chairperson of the HewaSafi Foundation, has criticized Kenyan President William Ruto for inaction on the country’s worsening air pollution, suggesting that if the president took to jogging through Nairobi and beyond, he might confront firsthand the urgent need for clean air policies.

In a column published on July 25, 2025, Chabeda argued that a simple run from State House through affluent neighborhoods like Kilimani, Kileleshwa, Riverside, and Westlands would expose Ruto to a “blended cocktail of toxic air pollutants,” dispelling any illusion that upscale areas are immune. He said that even a casual jog would be interrupted by choking emissions from matatus, lorries, and traffic congestion, making breathing difficult at every step.

Chabeda further envisioned Ruto taking a cross-country run—perhaps from Kasarani through Dandora’s massive dumpsite and Eastlands—where daily open burning of plastics, rubbish, and waste fuels a permanent haze over Nairobi. The president would reportedly encounter vendors using solid fuels, smog from waste collection vehicles, and smoky kitchens, all while inhaling dangerous particulate matter.

The column highlighted health consequences linked to long-term exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM₂.₅), including accelerated rates of stroke, respiratory disease, and even cognitive impairment. Chabeda noted that Nairobi’s PM₂.₅ levels are nearly four times the threshold recommended by the World Health Organization, demanding urgent intervention.

He issued a call for immediate policy action—urging stakeholders to tackle low-hanging measures like banning open waste burning, accelerating clean cooking fuel adoption, and improving emissions regulation. Chabeda emphasized that children and disadvantaged urban populations bear a disproportionate burden of pollution-related illness, and that the cost of further delay was unacceptable.

As deliberations on Nairobi’s future air quality continue—including through forums like the 2025 Clean Air Forum and the city’s rollout of the Breathe Cities initiative—Chabeda challenged the president to demonstrate leadership by publicly committing to cleaner air. He urged Ruto to take the symbolic first step—by literally running—with the message: “No more!”

Chabeda’s column has resonated widely on social and traditional media, renewing focus on Nairobi’s environmental crisis and the political accountability needed to address it.