SPITTING OUT THE RHETORIC REALITY

 On my last article,we decided on not blaming the government for all the wrinkles,if they are too,we should remind ourselves,we voted them to power. " There is more power in the people than the people in power." Exclaims, Fionah Mburu,founder Greener communities. It is true,we have the power to vote in leaders,stop projects affecting us,but we have let them feed us with fear,and this should stop. 

Every project flagged off by the government has both positive and negative effects,but when the latter takes charge,a solution entitled changes to nothing not far from a future national calamity,but we are yet to experience any first-hand,the reason why I think ignorance runs our bloodflow. Waste disposal has been an issue in Nairobi and its outskirts,and I agree we all wanted a solution,but should a present solution feed a future disaster ? The answer should be NO! but what do we do for it to make an impact,acting to making its word count out there. 

The new sewer-line pipes

The new sewerline system will solve most of  our waste management problem,but did you all know that the bigger part of the line passes adjacent to running rivers? If you didn't,then instill the fact in your head. Who decides on some projects,who signs the papers? cause as far as I know,that shouldn't ever take place,but the most unfortunate part is,it already did,on a report posted by National Environment Management Authority ( NEMA) was concluded with filled questionaires,and one Mr Edward Muriuki gave the relevant observation,but the body turn ignorant cause the project still went on. That speaks volumes,that our voices don't sometimes matter,but I would echo,that the problem is us,no one else,just us. Telling the engineer and the contractor to find a Plan B,is never a big deal,but do we really play our part,asking questions? Relevant conservation bodies and human rights,your fight is not only on the economic world,but also,the right to clean environment,and with that I mean taking care of our environment.

Sewer spilling in a river

" It is always a big shame that many trees will have to be cut down,to pave way for the ambitious project just the same scenerio with SGR crossing wildlife territories." stated Dan Otieno,An Environment conservation enthuthiast. It is becoming an puzzle or a quest to spot a lion in the Nirobi national park,but we are yet to accept that fact. So what makes this sewer different? What pains me is that,I can do nothing now,it is already mounted,who was part of the so-stated public participation? cause,sorry to state,was illiterate,blind and foolish,how could they not see the future of the project is just problems.which I doubt they organised one,not even one person asked apart from Edward whose only observation was recorded on the report,to flower the destructive projects with deception. 

Joannah Stutchbury fighting for Kiambu Forest

Some indeginous trees at the Karura forest were cut down to pave way for the sewer line,if this is the path of the forest and nature follows,then Wangari Maathai's and the likes of Joannah Stutchbury's fight will be nothing but a fairytale to tell our kids and grandchildren. Our voices need to be heard,we need to speak out,we need to act,cause all I think the future holds is a fantasy. Let us all spit out the RHETORIC REALITY that has fed our hopes with fear and lies. 

A mapped section of the sewer-line passing adjacent to rivers

by Alexander Kiruga M 

WHO IS TO BE BLAMED ??

Who is to be blamed for not attaining the 10% forest cover we were to achieve by this 2022 ?

 It has always been a favourite song for conservationist ," road to recovering forest cover " but what is dragging all the efforts drawn towards this constructive goal. I believe you've been to a tree planting event or several,or maybe you've hosted one,but the question is still ringing in our minds with no one to answer but ourselves. Why are we not attaining our targeted reforestation? even though day in day out we are organising campaigns and events involving tree planting. 

A conservation enthuthiast planting trees

We've all been fighting for what we acknowledge as our forest ,our pride. Environmentalist joined in one accord to stop the National Parliament from deleting CLAUSE 34(2) in the 2016 ACT in the Conservation ammendment Bill 2021 . The ammendement would certainly weaken the KENYA FOREST SERVICE which is the body mandated to protect all public forest cover in Kenya. Such issues are what have resulted to us not attaining the targeted 10% forest cover by 2022 from 7.4%. They stated that this would be a door opening to allocate private ordains for development, a move that would be not far from a future calamity.

We are left with one problem to solve,not our politician,our organisations, government bodies but our own responsibility . My question is,in all the trees you plant who follows up on their growth progress,depending on our current kind of climate which is unpredictable,actually is a problem due to afforestion,though this is a topic for another day. We plant,pray and leave them under the able hands of the Almighty,funny indeed how we celebrate covering a large part of the country by organising the tree planting campaigns all over,but never take our time to rearrange our ideas of refforestation as not how far you can plant but how long can you witness growth of a goal. 

On the 11th December 2021, I personally took part in forest reclaiming activity,ie, Kiambu Forest in honor of slain conservation heroin Joannah Stutchbury, Who died protecting the forest,having been shot at the entrance of the forest. The Cabinet secretary of Environment and Forestry Hon.Keriako Tobiko,was the chief guest and promised to help reclaim the grabbed part of the forest and plant trees all over, over 100 trees were planted that day. On 28th May 2022, I revisited the place,and even carried along friends with the urge to enjoy the view of growth of the planted trees,to my surprise and dissapointment,all the trees dried up,and the land is back nothing much but a maize plantation. I am glad I am even safe,cause very ferosious dogs were unchained to keep us out of the place immediately they realised we were around. 

A view of THE FOREST in Kiriita

The problem is always us,when we accept to do follow-ups,we will go miles in terms of reafforestation. Remember,forests protect our water towers,they prevent soil erosion and landslides, not forgetting they provide shade and also are source of fruits and home for our wildlife,one way we can also eradicate human-wildlife conflict,and also some are a tourist destination,like THE FOREST in Kiriita . I never leave the famous heroin Wangari Maathai's words , " Nature will destroy you before you destroy it." 

by Alexander Kiruga .M