9 July 2008
Nairobi — The Environment and Mineral Resources minister has ordered a ban on the importation of timber-harvesting equipment such as power saws to protect forests.
Mr John Michuki ordered the National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) director-general, Dr Muusya Mwinzi, to enforce and amend existing laws with a view to banning any importation of machinery used in harvesting timber.
"We have the Forest Act 2005, which has clear provisions to support this initiative. The director-general of Nema is directed to ensure guidelines are developed for the management and control of the environment. This Act is only second to the Constitution in terms of its power," he said.
Mr Michuki also announced a Sh16 billion programme to rehabilitate Nairobi River in the next three years. He said the filth and destruction of the river system and its environs were shocking, adding, Vision 2030 has identified the environment as a critical component for sustainable development.
The minister said the enforcement of environmental laws had been forgotten.
He said population pressure, coupled with inadequate resources, had compromised the delivery of services for most residents of Nairobi, leading to many challenges such as environmental degradation.
He said about 56 per cent of the city's residents live in slums and are located along the banks of Nairobi River.
"These informal settlements, which lack sanitary facilities, have encroached on the riparian reserve, which should be kept off by 30 metres on each side of the river banks," he said.
Meanwhile, Nema's Dr Mwinzi has announced a river-cleaning initiative aimed at rehabilitating the Nairobi River basin. The initiative would be undertaken in collaboration with all relevant ministries and the City Council of Nairobi, the director-general said.
Slum areas
Speaking at a news conference, he said the programme would affect an estimated 127,000 people in the slum areas.
"A clear and focused Nairobi Rivers Basin Programme of Action will also involve United Nations agencies, the civil society and the private sector," he said.
Reported by Kenneth Ogosia, Alphonce Shiundu and Peter Mwai
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