Environmentalists raise concerns over state policies

Environmentalists have warned against policies that continue to pile pressure on existing environmental challenges.

The environmentalists said mounting pressure to downgrade national parks, degazette major wetlands as well as approving infrastructure across delicate ecosystems continue to threaten biodiversity.

They warned that many government policies are slowly undermining climate action commitments while increasing pressure on critical biodiversity areas.

“While there have been key decisions made by the government towards climate action, many other decisions are working towards reversing these steps,” said Nature Kenya Director Paul Matiku.

“The president launched a 15 billion tree planting initiative, which has many Kenyans planting trees. However, the same government is proposing a road that will cut through the forest of the Aberdare ranges. The road is likely to be an environmental disaster,” he notes.

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Dr Matiku notes that while the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry has expressed commitment to repossess illegally acquired wetlands in Kenya, there are concerns that some wetlands like Yala swamp and Dakatcha woodland continue to be adjudicated to allow for private investors to utilise them.

“Despite this commitment, the National Land Commission has permitted 50 per cent of the Yala Swamp to be used by a private developer to grow sugarcane,” he said.

The environmentalists also flagged mounting pressure by counties to take control of the national parks under their jurisdiction as a threat to biodiversity. They said while most counties lack the capacity to manage resources within the parks, the move by the government to downgrade the parks might lead to mismanagement of the key resources.

Paul Gacheru, a species expert noted that most of the parks are homes to rare and endangered species while others are critical biodiversity hotspots.

Gacheru warned that handing over management, without consideration, downgrades a national park and threatens their survival.

"A good example is the management of some museums that were handed over to the county governments. Majority of those handed over are still struggling with resources including hiring of qualified curators to take care of collections at the museums," he said.

While counties are currently mandated to take care of forests under their jurisdiction, he said the lack of resources has been a glaring challenge with most counties lacking structures to effectively manage the forests. 

Gacheru regretted that the lack of effective management of forests, has seen the Kenya Forest Service take up the role to ensure forests are not degraded.

"The forestry sector was devolved over 15 years ago but some counties are yet to even employ foresters. Devolving such critical sectors remains one of the biggest threats to biodiversity. This should be a lesson in handling current situations where Counties are claiming to manage national parks," he said.

 Matiku said that with KWS having the expertise in managing wildlife, there is a need for the government to strike a benefit-sharing deal with counties that host the key resources.

"What is missing is the benefit-sharing deal that will allow the host counties to have a share of revenues collected from these parks. That way, it will solve cases of unnecessary scramble that only threaten survival of many species that are currently at risk," he said.

Besides the Kajiado county government’s push for the management of Amboseli National Park, Nakuru county government has in the past shown interest in having Lake Nakuru National park downgraded to allow for its management.

Matiku also raised concern about proposals by the Ministry of Water to review the Water Act to allow private businesses to establish dams in forests, saying that it risks threatening Kenya’s mountains, forests, and biodiversity and climate targets will not be achieved.