Nairobi — The Government plans to ensure that all vehicles in the country use unleaded fuel by the end of the year are unlikely to succeed, an environment protector said yesterday.

Due to the inability of the Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited (KPRL) to produce unleaded fuel, it was unlikely for the Government to enforce the end of year ultimatum for all vehicles in the country to use unleaded fuel, said Prof Ratemo Michieka.

Speaking at the Travellers Beach Hotel, in Mombasa, during a consultative workshop on climate change the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) director general said the use of leaded fuel posed many dangers not only to human life, but also to the environment.

The workshop was also attended by Nobel Peace laureate Wangari Maathai, Cuban ambassador Pedro Pedroso and Nema chairman Kanute Khamala.

But Prof Michieka said there were on-going discussions between the Ministry of Energy and other stakeholders in the oil industry to have KPRL produce unleaded fuel.

"Although we are very concerned about the dangers posed by using leaded fuel, we are not sure if we are going to meet our end of year deadline," he said.

Research had established that exposure of expectant women to lead could retard the intellect of the unborn child later in life, he added.

Recently, the chairman of the Mombasa-based KPRL, Mr Justus Kageenu, said the firm would seek services of a financial consultant to source for the US$200 million (Sh14 billion) it needs to upgrade its facilities.

Prof Maathai urged the Kenya Institute of Education (KIE) to introduce environment studies at the primary school level as part of environmental awareness campaign.

The Environment assistant minister said there was an urgent need for KIE to develop a curriculum for environmental studies from primary school to university levels.

"Environment is a very central issue in socio-economic development and the KIE should make it a specific examinable subject instead of mainstreaming it," she told participants.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner was addressing a workshop on climate change at the Travellers Beach Hotel, Mombasa. It was also attended by National Environmental Agency (Nema) director-general Prof Ratemo Michieka, Cuban Ambassador Pedro Pedroso and Nema chairman Canute Khamala.