Uproar over Sh700m sewer treatment plant

The construction of a sewer treatment plant has caused an uproar among residents in Kaptimbor, Kabarnet.

Locals claim the sewerage and waste management plant constructed at an estimated cost of Sh700 million was done without seeking their views on the project.

Peter Kulei, a resident, said they had raised concerns over the location of the sewer plant and other social issues but nobody was ready to listen to them.

“Public participation was not done. We wanted to be engaged, but we were ignored despite being the immediate neighbours of the plant. The project is within a residential area,” Mr Kulei said yesterday.

He said they were unhappy with the sewer plant construction because they feared it would have a negative impact on their lives.

“We thought our concerns were being addressed only to see the project taking off. We just heard that people met in offices in an alleged public participation meeting,” he said.

Isaiah Biwott said about 100 households neighbouring the facility will be impacted negatively because there are streams that will be polluted once the project starts.

He said there was need to address issues raised by residents.

Another resident, Stanley Chelelgo, said they were not opposed to having the project in the area but were only concerned about whether the project had been planned properly to stop it from turning into a health hazard.

“People are living around the location of the plant under construction and we working to check on safety issues,” Mr Chelelgo said, adding that they needed a sewer plant and proper waste management.

The residents also complained that they had not benefited from jobs created by the project, saying the employees were people from outside the region.

Kabarnet town has no established sewer system.

Baringo National Environment Management Authority Director Nyandoro Josiah said they had conducted a study to establish the effects the sewer plant would have on the environment.

“I understand the environmental impact assessment report was done. Maybe it was submitted in Nairobi. Public participation is a prerequisite for such reports and locals can demand for it from the county government,” said Mr Nyandoro.

Early this month, Baringo Governor Stanley Kiptis (pictured) inaugurated the Kabarnet Municipality Board that is expected to develop policies, plans, strategies and programmes to spur economic growth.

Mr Kiptis said the nine-member board will prioritise matters on water provision, and solid and waste water management.