By Michael Chepkwony
Civic leaders in Nandi County have lauded National Environment Management Authority (Nema) for rejecting the proposed clearance of 3,000 acres of Kimondi forest.
The move was aimed at paving way for the construction of a multipurpose dam.
Led by Kapsabet Mayor Michael Rono, the civic leaders said the decision by Nema was welcome.
“We the councillors and the MPs from the county were against the proposed project and we are glad the environment body has listened to us,” he said.
Chairman of Friends of Nandi Environment, Dr John Chumo, who has been leading environmentalists from the region against the proposal, also expressed satisfaction with Nema’s verdict.
“It was an absolutely misplaced project that was insensitive to environmental protection. We are glad Nema has done what we expected,” he said.
Nema, in a letter dated September 17 and signed by its Director General Prof Geoffrey Wahungu, rejected the proposed construction of the Sh50 billion dam by the Lake Basin Development Authority.
The letter addressed to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Regional Development indicated that the proposed dam would destroy 61.2 per cent of the forest reserve.
“This would have led to the loss of irreplaceable ecological, biological and socio-economic services,” it said.
The letter further said the people living around the forest were against the proposal, adding that clearance would destroy flora and fauna.
Public Complaints Committee (PCC) had also opposed the proposed project in their report dated July 10 signed by PCC chairperson Florence Mwangangi, Secretary Lucy Mulenkei and five members.
“Nema should strongly communicate to the project proponents that the project will not be licensed under any circumstance,” stated the report.
The decision by Nema to stop the proposed clearance of the forest seems to echo PCC’s recommendation that called on the environmental organisation to save the forest from destruction.
