Seven oil waste management firms sue Nema over licences

By Willis Oketch

Mombasa, Kenya: Simultaneous suits have rocked the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) after it cancelled licences of seven firms dealing in oil waste management at the port of Mombasa.

The firms have already won the first round in the contest with Nema.

The companies moved to the High Court last week and obtained orders restraining the environment body from interfering with their work until the suits in question have been determined.

The licences were cancelled by Nema’s Director General Geoffrey Wahungu on August 6, this year after he accused them of contravening Kenya’s environmental laws.

Now their lawyers have sought additional orders for a permanent injunction against Mr Wahungu’s actions.

The lawyers accuse Wahungu of misusing his powers by clamping down on their clients and are seeking judicial review orders. Justice Slyvester Mukunya issued orders restraining Nema from stopping the companies’ operations pending the hearing and determination of the legality of Wahungu’s actions.

In a separate letter dated August 6, this year, Wahungu cancelled the seven firms’ licenses following an inspection of their waste oil sludge recycling plants based in Mombasa.

Wahungu’s order

“The facilities are in contravention of license conditions...,” said Wahungu in the August 6 letter which ordered the “facilities not to continue with the recycling of waste oil/sludge until and when the licenses are reinstated.”

The firms are Marime Waste Collection Dealers Company, Danka Africa Company, Mawako Shipping Agencies, Kaburu and Sons Company, Coast Waste Oil Transporters Company and Saimbot Ship Contractors Company.