The National Government has issued a warning to the public to avoid encroaching on riparian land as a measure to prevent climate change-related calamities.
This call comes amid heightened efforts for environmental conservation, following heavy rains and floods that recently disrupted the country.
The transport and education sectors were particularly affected, with some road connections severed and school reopenings delayed due to the floods.
During a county tree planting evaluation committee meeting in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County Commissioner Gideon Oyagi emphasized the importance of environmental conservation.
He stated that if encroachment on riparian land had been prevented, the number of flood-related deaths could have been reduced.
Oyagi highlighted the need for Kenyans to take environmental conservation seriously and praised efforts to increase forest cover.
He urged stakeholders and the public to fully implement government environmental policies for the benefit of future generations.
“Times and calamities have taught us to behave differently, but we rarely listen. Negligence of existing laws and policies by some custodians and a section of the public has proved to be our major setback. If infringement on riparian land had been avoided, the number of deaths we have recorded because of floods would be less,” Oyagi said.
In Trans Nzoia County, three flood-related deaths were recorded after River Sabwani in Kwanza Sub County broke its banks.
Oyagi commended stakeholders’ efforts to achieve the County’s annual tree planting target of 11.9 million trees.
He stressed the importance of nurturing the already planted trees, noting that more than 3.5 million trees have been planted since President William Ruto launched the afforestation initiative last year.
