Governors in Kenya are currently pushing for a review of policies that will among other things, negate efforts to curb the effects of climate change.
According to reports, the county bosses have demanded a ban on the growing of eucalyptus trees near river banks across the 47 counties and unregulated sand harvesting in rivers.
The Council of Governors (CoG) Environment and Climate Change Committee has prepared a Bill seeking to have eucalyptus trees uprooted and replaced by environment-friendly indigenous trees and If enacted into law, the Bill authored by the committee chair Wilber Ottichilo (Vihiga) will see blue gum trees near river banks, wetlands and land boundaries uprooted because they contribute to environmental degradation.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has welcomed the Bill saying it will help restore and preserve water catchment areas and water sources across the country.
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Recall that Dr Ottichilo led a delegation of Vihiga county leadership in a meeting on Saturday with Mudavadi at the latter’s Mululu rural home in Sabatia constituency where matters of environment and effects of climate change were discussed.
During the meeting, the governor was categorical that he will not back down on his directive for locals to uproot blue gum trees and plant environment-friendly tree species. The county chief said sand harvesting will not be allowed in Vihiga and other counties once ward representatives across the counties pass the Bill into law.
“I have already drafted the Bill that will be tabled in the 47 county assemblies soon for their approval, the Bill stipulates guidelines on how to conserve the environment and bars residents from planting eucalyptus trees near water and natural resources, homestead and harvesting of sand,” said Ottichilo.
Speaking further, he said, “It will be a painful decision but I am urging my residents to cooperate and support this initiative because the effects of climate change will destroy and wipe out the human population if we fail to act now,”.
The governor further urged Mudavadi to coordinate and champion the issue of climate change by anchoring it in the Kenya Kwanza policies.
Story was adapted from the Standard.
