Government to gazette water catchment areas

President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua led the inaugural National Tree Planting Day in Kiu, Makindu, Makueni County, on Monday, November 13, 2023. [PCS] President William Ruto led the inaugural National Tree Planting Day in Kiu, Makindu, Makueni county, Monday, where he declared that all wetland areas and water towers across the country will be secured and gazetted. Ruto said 10,000 wetlands in Kenya must be protected from human activities such as settlement and destruction of trees. "We must change the face of our nation. We must have enough water, get rains in all seasons, have enough food production and leave behind a country for next generation that is well conserved," the President said while addressing visitors and locals at the Kiu catchment area. The Head of State raised concern over the adverse effects of climate change manifesting in erratic rain patterns, drying of rivers and death of animals. He urged Kenyans to take the lead in preserving the environment. Due to climate change and human destruction, Makueni water towers are exposed, only two are protected while 22 rivers have dried up. "The work we are doing today as a nation is a good foot in fighting issues surrounding our food security and rising cost of living. When we have good, protected environment then we will produce enough food for our people and that is the primary role of what we are doing today," he added. The biggest headache surrounding Kiu wetland has been encroachment by squatters. The President promised to have the entire catchment fenced and all 83 squatters compensated and moved to other areas. "The government will be compensating all those who have occupied part of the Kiu wetland and let no more people register to have occupied the place other than the 83 homesteads I have been informed," he said. The ordered Lands and Physical Planning Principal Secretary Nixon Korir to take action immediately. Ruto appealed to Makueni residents to support his government promising to return to the region before the end of the year on a development tour. "In 2017 we tried but we got nine percent of votes from this region. In 2022 we went up to 20 per cent. I remember all promises made and that is why I will be coming to camp here for days so that we can plan development for this region," he said. Environment Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya, said it was responsibility of all Kenyans to plant trees in order to achieve the target to plant 15 billion trees by 2032. "We are going to ensure the gazettement of the entire Chyullu area. We will put measures in place to ensure we revive Makindu River which has its water originating from those hills," pledged Tuya. Chyullu Hills is billed as a major source of carbon credit nationally. Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jnr and his Kajiado counterpart Joseph ole Lenku vowed to work together in conserving the environment. "We have shared resources between these two counties. We must protect our areas where we get water that is shared by all our people like Kilimanjaro and Chyullu hills," said Lenku. While revisiting the contentious revenue-sharing formula of proceeds from the Tsavo National Park, Mutula asked President Ruto through the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) to ensure the people of Makueni are supplied with fruit trees. "When elephants stray from Tsavo West and East they go directly to our people's farms. The only request we want to make to you is sharing that revenue between the parks and us," he said. The host Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse asked the Head of State to intervene in constructing the Makindu aerodrome. The dream of having an airstrip in Makindu was started by the late former President Mwai Kibaki and has since stalled with the airstrip land grabbed by influential businessmen and politicians.

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