Kiambu County Department of Environment and Water bodies has begun marking riparian areas as a way of conserving rivers.
Farmers owning land bordering rivers have been urged to stop
farming and keep a 10 meter distance from the rivers, as it is contaminating and diminishing water.
According to David Kuria County Executive Committee Member in charge of environment there is a conflict between farmers and sources of natural water, and there is need to sensitize them on how to maintain riparian land.
Boniface Mbugua, Managing Director of Kiambu Water and Sewage Company reiterated the sentiments affirming a shortage of water for human consumption which has led the company to water rationing.
David Mumo of the Water Resources Authority, in charge of basin coordinator of Athi catchment, said that they are marking and pegging rivers to protect water bodies in terms of quality and quantity.
He noted that eucalyptus trees had encroached on Kiambu county rivers, and a lot of vegetable and arrowroot farming affects the river’s flow.
Hezekiah Chege from the Strategic Innovation Solutions Initiative said the buffer zones are necessary to conserve rivers to serve as many people as possible.
Farmers have been informed that they are not being chased away but educated on the kind of plantation and trees they need to plant along the rivers.
Mary Muthoni
