Locals breathe life into Mtopanga River once choked by filth

A section of River Mtopanga near the Indian Ocean in Mombasa. [Kemunto Ogutu, Standard]

Three years ago, Coastal and Marine Resource Development (Comred) played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Mombasa Smart Sustainable City Forum under the Miji Bora project.

This initiative paved the way for the formation of five technical working groups, including the Transformative River Management.

Spearheaded by Comred, this group has dedicated its efforts to restoring Mtopanga River.

Dr Innocent Wanyonyi, Comred's director for Sustainable Cities Programme, said the river is vital to Mombasa's economic vitality, thus the organisation's commitment to safeguarding its health.

However, Wanyonyi said research by Comred revealed that 65 per cent of waste in River Mtopanga is plastic.

The waste, he noted, should be continually and sustainably combated, so it does not jeopardise biodiversity in the Mombasa Marine Park, which is barely 5km away from Pirates Beach.

The marine park's coral gardens, sea grass and array of species are a major tourist attraction in Mombasa

He said that the hotel industry depends directly and indirectly on the river, therefore it should be jealously guarded.

"There are about 11 tourist hotels along the Pirates Beach stretch, which is also close to the marine park. Naturally, if we allow Mtopanga River to be dirty, then we are going to lose tourists to our neighbouring countries," he said.

Wanyonyi recommended multi-stakeholder action as the lasting solution to the pollution problem in River Mtopanga.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is part of the multiple stakeholders in Mombasa involved in restoration of Mtopanga.

Beatrice Jerop, a supervisor at KWS, said they also keep track of the quality of water draining into the marine park to ensure the biodiversity is not affected.

In the face of all the challenges, Jerop lauded the work done by CBOs in Kisauni, saying that KWS has witnessed an increase in aquatic life and improved aesthetics in the river since the conservation efforts began.

"Although previously viewed as a dead river by Kisauni residents, Mtopanga is gradually reclaiming its life and improving tourism in Kisauni Sub-county," said Jerop.

Plastic interceptors

Two-hundred metres from Pirates Beach is another popular tourist attraction; The Bamburi Forest Trails.

Rose Sali, The Chief Operating Officer at Haller Park, revealed that Bamburi Cement PLC conducts quarterly clean-up programmes to restore the river.

This year, they collected 1.8 tonnes of litter, with 47 per of it being plastic. She noted that intercepting waste upstream makes it easier to curb plastic pollution in the ocean.

Paul Opere, the company's Rehabilitation and Aquatic Resources Officer, said they set up strategic wire mesh interceptors to trap the solid waste. He noted that some trees along the river have strong roots which act as interceptors.

While the restoration journey hasn't been without challenges, Mchombo and his team remain undeterred in their mission to revitalise Mtopanga River.

Their efforts, however, are hampered by delay in gazetting the river as a protected wetland.

"Gazettement would be a game-changer," Mchombo said.

He envisions a future where tourists flock to the protected river-cum-wetland, drawn by its unique beauty and ecological importance.

This story was produced with support from JRS Biodiversity Foundation and Mesha