By Anthony Gitonga and Joseph Masha

Almost half of the rivers flowing from the Aberdare Forest have dried up, putting Lake Naivasha at risk of extinction as it solely relies on water from the forest.

A fact-finding mission by environmentalists at the Kinangop side of the forest established the scale of destruction.

Several rivers have dried up while the level of water flowing in others is at its lowest ever.

Despite concerted efforts to fence the forest, damage done to the catchment area years ago is now haunting locals who have relied its water for years.

Executive Director of Indigenous Bio-diversity Environmental Conservation Association James Kahora Kuria, says seven rivers have dried up.

"Majority of these rivers feed River Malewa, which in turn flows to Lake Naivasha but this is no longer happening due to destruction of the catchment area," Mr Kahora said.

The official warned the lake could dry up in the next three months if it does not rain due to massive extraction of water by flower farmers.

Kahora explained: "The amount of water flowing into the lake is too little compared to amount being extracted by the farmers".

Luckily, the community living next to the Aberdare has embarked on an ambitious project to save the remaining rivers.

According to Geta Community Forest Association chairman Jamlek Macharia, no illegal logging or charcoal burning is taking place.

fate is sealed

Mr Macharia said the community is involved in fencing of the forest after realising the damage human activity had caused.

Meanwhile, Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai has said Government is not serious in its resolve to protect water catchments and wetlands.

Prof Maathai said while the country was grappling with how to reclaim inhabited forests Government is still allowing developers to destroy wetlands.

Addressing MPs at a workshop on land and natural resources in Mombasa, Maathai said the current food and water crisis is as a result of human settlement and farming on wetlands and water towers withGovernment approval.