The groups say the project is a threat to Mau forest

NAIROBI, KENYA: The fate of Sh 19.5 billion dam in South Rift hangs in the balance after civil society questioned the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment report (EIA).

The National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) on September 26 issued an EIA licence number (NEMA/EIA/PSL/5292 authorising the plans to construct Bosto Dam along Kipsonoi River inside South West Mau Forest in Bomet County by the Water Conservation and Pipeline Corporation.

The East African Wild Life Society and the Kenya Forests Working Group says the assessment is misleading and failed to recorgnise that the dam will occupy forest land.

“For instance, the report states that the three dam location alternatives are 18km, 12km, and 3 km from the edge of the forest respectively while the true position based on the coordinates and our field fact finding mission, is that the proposed dam sites are located inside the forest,” says Julius Kamau, the executive director of East Africa Wildlife Society.

“Nema never took into our consideration our comments and neither did the authority call for public hearing as is required by the law,” he added.

According to Kamau, the Environmental and Social Impact Study Report failed also to account for the exact total forest land area to be affected while it acknowledges that there will be loss of indigenous forests during the clearance of vegetation to create access road and laying of water transmission pipeline and other activities in the construction work.

The estimated cost for the construction of Bost dam and the proposed water supply system is approximately Sh19.5 billion. The dam will serve Bomet County and parts of Kericho County.