A presentation by Odhiambo T Oketch during the Gala Night for Daystar University Environmental Initiative Club on 1st April 2011.
1st April 2011
Last year, the Government headed to Mau Forest to start what the Rt Hon Prime Minister said was going to be the beginning of a campaign that was going to see us restoring our forest cover to 10% in 10 years.
This indeed took place and today, 15 Months down the line, what can we place our hands on as tangible evidence that indeed we have planted so many Trees all across Kenya? I was hence very excited when I was invited to come and talk about ‘Environmental stewardship towards sustainable development’. In approaching this topic, there are 6 very cardinal issues that we ought to address in our efforts at environmental stewardship, namely;
1] Environmental education; in our mobilization process, we are encouraging the youth and their parents to each become personally responsible for our environment. We must each plant a tree and attend to it. We must each keep clean our water points and stop throwing garbage into the streams. This clogs the rivers and the water points. This is a serious campaign that needs all of us. Let us join hands and in the process, not only focus on Mau, but our immediate environments, our neighbourhoods.
2] Vanishing wetlands; we all know that rain has not been as consistent as it was some times back. This has led to drying up of wetlands. There has also been that threat from invasion by man. What is our collective responsibility in galvanizing the populace to conserving and preserving our wetlands. It is our responsibility to impart information to the youth and the parents in this regard.
3] Flimsy plastic bags; this is the biggest menace affecting our environment. What then is our role in making sure that we dispose of plastic in a manner that becomes environmentally friendly? We must do all that it takes to make the all needed difference. The government also needs to come up with a clear policy on manufacture of flimsy plastic bags. In the same vein, the government must also enforce rules on disposal of such paper. Can we attach instant fines to all those caught in the act of degrading our environment?
4] Clearing of vegetation on road reserves; it must be our responsibility to plant and water trees along road reserves. In the East of Nairobi we have concrete jungles competing for all space. In an estate like Komarock, the road sides are all tarmac and it becomes very tricky planting trees. But it is our responsibility as Kenyans to ensure that we plant trees along the roads and in our compounds. This is the drive that we are carrying on this year and we call upon all people of goodwill to join us in this exercise. Let us all make it our responsibility. And at KCDN, we are sensitizing both the youth and our parents on this need.
5] Rain water harvesting; Kenya has been procrastinating with this for ever. Just after Independence, we used to have lots of rain. Compared with the trends now, we could predict with certainty when the rains would fall. This calls to mind our planning capacity. It is sad to note that Masinga Dam was built in 1942 and has served Nairobi and the Metropolis with distinction till now. If the government put in some little planning, we would have had various methods of water harvesting and storage. Isn’t it time we put pressure on our government to become serious with planning. We can do it, so let us do it.
6] Conservation of the 5 water towers; for 46 years now, little effort has been put into conserving the water towers by the government. We all know how Mau Forest Complex was given out to politically correct individuals and how that has led to massive rape of the water catchment area. We all know that when Aberdare Ranges was under threat from the government, it was the private sector that came up with a road map to fence the forest and guard against government instigated encroachment. We must all loud Mr. Wilfred Kiboro, formerly the CEO at Nation Media Group for doing a sterling job in this. Kenyans must all join and help guard against government instigated encroachments into the 5 water towers namely; Mau Forest Complex, Aberdare Ranges, Mt Kenya, Cherengani Hills and Mt Elgon.
We all know that when it comes to environmental destruction, the government has been in the front line. We have forest guards employed by the relevant ministries to guard our forest, yet, the worst forest destructions have been supervised by these people who were meant to safe guard the same forests.
All is not lost at least. If we put our act together now, we can help give life to our children. If we enjoin our children in environmental education now, we will create a future that will be green. If we join hands with the relevant ministries and put them to task, become partners in the process, our guards will not destroy our future any more.
This is why we enjoin Kenyans and the people of the world in also appealing to the Right Hon Prime Minister and the President to lead from the front and help mobilize the people of Kenya through initiatives such as Kazi Kwa Vijana in playing a greater role in creating environmental awareness and conservation. The President should be in the frontline in this effort. The Kazi Kwa Vijana Initiative if well handled can clean the Nairobi River and help make Nairobi green again. And this is where KCDN comes in. And we have invited Friends of KCDN to be joining us every 4th Saturday of the Month in cleaning our immediate neighbourhoods all across Kenya under the auspices of the Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign.
We owe this to our children.A Clean Kenya Starts With Me.
Peace and blessings. God bless you, God bless Daystar and God Bless Kenya.
This indeed took place and today, 15 Months down the line, what can we place our hands on as tangible evidence that indeed we have planted so many Trees all across Kenya? I was hence very excited when I was invited to come and talk about ‘Environmental stewardship towards sustainable development’. In approaching this topic, there are 6 very cardinal issues that we ought to address in our efforts at environmental stewardship, namely;
1] Environmental education; in our mobilization process, we are encouraging the youth and their parents to each become personally responsible for our environment. We must each plant a tree and attend to it. We must each keep clean our water points and stop throwing garbage into the streams. This clogs the rivers and the water points. This is a serious campaign that needs all of us. Let us join hands and in the process, not only focus on Mau, but our immediate environments, our neighbourhoods.
2] Vanishing wetlands; we all know that rain has not been as consistent as it was some times back. This has led to drying up of wetlands. There has also been that threat from invasion by man. What is our collective responsibility in galvanizing the populace to conserving and preserving our wetlands. It is our responsibility to impart information to the youth and the parents in this regard.
3] Flimsy plastic bags; this is the biggest menace affecting our environment. What then is our role in making sure that we dispose of plastic in a manner that becomes environmentally friendly? We must do all that it takes to make the all needed difference. The government also needs to come up with a clear policy on manufacture of flimsy plastic bags. In the same vein, the government must also enforce rules on disposal of such paper. Can we attach instant fines to all those caught in the act of degrading our environment?
Chairmen in action; Mr. Joel Kwemei of Dayster University Environmental Initiative Club and Mr. Okoth Peter of Kenyatta University Environment Club waiting for transport to Ngong Hills at Uhuru Park on 2nd April 20114] Clearing of vegetation on road reserves; it must be our responsibility to plant and water trees along road reserves. In the East of Nairobi we have concrete jungles competing for all space. In an estate like Komarock, the road sides are all tarmac and it becomes very tricky planting trees. But it is our responsibility as Kenyans to ensure that we plant trees along the roads and in our compounds. This is the drive that we are carrying on this year and we call upon all people of goodwill to join us in this exercise. Let us all make it our responsibility. And at KCDN, we are sensitizing both the youth and our parents on this need.
5] Rain water harvesting; Kenya has been procrastinating with this for ever. Just after Independence, we used to have lots of rain. Compared with the trends now, we could predict with certainty when the rains would fall. This calls to mind our planning capacity. It is sad to note that Masinga Dam was built in 1942 and has served Nairobi and the Metropolis with distinction till now. If the government put in some little planning, we would have had various methods of water harvesting and storage. Isn’t it time we put pressure on our government to become serious with planning. We can do it, so let us do it.
6] Conservation of the 5 water towers; for 46 years now, little effort has been put into conserving the water towers by the government. We all know how Mau Forest Complex was given out to politically correct individuals and how that has led to massive rape of the water catchment area. We all know that when Aberdare Ranges was under threat from the government, it was the private sector that came up with a road map to fence the forest and guard against government instigated encroachment. We must all loud Mr. Wilfred Kiboro, formerly the CEO at Nation Media Group for doing a sterling job in this. Kenyans must all join and help guard against government instigated encroachments into the 5 water towers namely; Mau Forest Complex, Aberdare Ranges, Mt Kenya, Cherengani Hills and Mt Elgon.
We all know that when it comes to environmental destruction, the government has been in the front line. We have forest guards employed by the relevant ministries to guard our forest, yet, the worst forest destructions have been supervised by these people who were meant to safe guard the same forests.
All is not lost at least. If we put our act together now, we can help give life to our children. If we enjoin our children in environmental education now, we will create a future that will be green. If we join hands with the relevant ministries and put them to task, become partners in the process, our guards will not destroy our future any more.
This is why we enjoin Kenyans and the people of the world in also appealing to the Right Hon Prime Minister and the President to lead from the front and help mobilize the people of Kenya through initiatives such as Kazi Kwa Vijana in playing a greater role in creating environmental awareness and conservation. The President should be in the frontline in this effort. The Kazi Kwa Vijana Initiative if well handled can clean the Nairobi River and help make Nairobi green again. And this is where KCDN comes in. And we have invited Friends of KCDN to be joining us every 4th Saturday of the Month in cleaning our immediate neighbourhoods all across Kenya under the auspices of the Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign.
We owe this to our children.A Clean Kenya Starts With Me.
Peace and blessings. God bless you, God bless Daystar and God Bless Kenya.
Odhiambo T Oketch,
CEO KCDN Nairobi,
Tel; 0724 365 557, 0735 529 126,
CEO KCDN Nairobi,
Tel; 0724 365 557, 0735 529 126,
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