Environment Forestry and Mining Committee of the National Assembly yesterday questioned the Director-General of the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) Dr. Mamo Mamo over the recent flooding and drainage blockage that was witnessed in Nairobi following the heavy rainfall witnessed last week.
The Committee led by Hon. Vincent Musyoka, Chairperson, asked Dr. Mamo and his team to explain why Nairobi is having dysfunctional sewerage system under the watch of NEMA who are mandated with the enforcement of the law and consequently ensuring residents of Nairobi and Kenyans at large are protected from any environmental risks.
The lawmakers further questioned on the efforts NEMA was doing to ensure all blocked areas are unblocked.
“This appears a NEMA issue, however planing and the behavior of the people of Nairobi comes in. NEMA can’t run away, you are part of the problem because at some point you approve illegal buildings and you don’t follow up on enforcement”.
In response, Dr. Mamo informed the Committee of the challenges they have been able to point out. First he said that the whole problem was around the old drainage system system for Nairobi that was done in the 1970’s. He also raised a blame on the informal settlements which do have a sewer line and the only option was to end up in Nairobi river. The dumping sites of Nairobi are also said to affect or escalate the problem around Nairobi river.
“Hon. Members, this are some of the problems we have been able to point out, and we can not forget the encroachment on the riparian land, however the Nairobi River Commission is working with NEMA to map out these areas and consequently come up with a plan to move them away.
Hon. Joseph Emathe Turkana Central, Hon. Joseph Wainaina, nominated MP and Hon. Charity Kathambi MP Njoro encouraged NEMA to step up their mandate and take action that will make Nairobi habitable.
“We see urbanization coming with a number of construction sites coming up very fast in Nairobi, we want to see those who break the law dealt with, all buildings erected on riparian land must be brought down”, said Hon. Emathe.
Hon. Wainaina recounted in the good works that had been done by the late Hon. John Michuki on the Nairobi river, “I remember how the water flowing in Nairobi river looked clean at the time the late Hon. Michuki was incharge, today everything looks dirty, people are sleeping around the river and that’s a recipe for all environmental problems around this river. We want to see NEMA engaging all stakeholders including the County Government of Nairobi, the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company to clean up the mess”.
The PS in the State Department for Environment and Climate Change Eng. Festus Ng’eno who was also present in the meeting said that if NEMA was assisted with the challenge of staffing, the many challenges witnessed in Nairobi will be a thing of the past.
He however committed to ensuring all stakeholders are brought in to clean up Nairobi.
By Anthony Solly
