Garissa activists call for action to mitigate effects of climate change

Environmental activists in Garissa say there is urgent need to act on mitigating climate change before it is too late.

If recent occurrences are anything to go by, the activists say, then immediate action needs to be taken. Lives were lost and homes, infrastructure and property worth millions destroyed through flooding in the area. 

This was said during an engagement meeting at a local hotel that brought together environmental activists, county leadership, youth-led organisations, women and  research institutions.

The meeting was convened by Womankind Kenya, which is Implementing the project in partnership with Femnet and funded by ministry of foreign affairs of the Netherlands.

Haretha Aden, who works with Womankind Kenya as a climate change resilience officer, said the projects are in three sub-counties namely Garissa township, Masalani and Balambala.

Yussuf Abdi, a climate change activist, said the impact caused by climate change cannot be overstated and the time to act was now.

“We have realised that climate change is real and it is affecting our community. Initially we thought it is a foreign thing that was impacting on other communities and other parts of the world,” Abdi said.

“But what we have realised in the last few weeks is that climate change is here with us and it has impacted on our lives. Therefore as residents of Garissa we have decided to speak on this issue and amplify our voices so that we can be able to do something as a community.

 “The resolutions from this meeting today is that we all need to speak about climate justice as the residents of this country. It is not about the government to speak, it is the responsibility of each and everyone of us to speak about climate change.”

County director for Environment Mulki Mohamed said climate change has had negative effects globally and the community should learn coping strategies and adapt.

“In Garissa we are always from one cycle to the other. We are either dealing with drought or flash floods. We are currently dealing with hundreds who have become IDPs as a result of the floods. So we must wake up to the realities and act collectively,” she said.

Abdiwahab Ibrahim, the Regional Head of the National Gender and Equality Commission North Eastern  said climate change has had a direct impact on women and that the recent floods have led to an increase of sexual gender based violence.

He said they had received several cases on the same in IDP camps and called on humanitarian agencies to set up help desks in the rescue centres, with a view of getting information on the alleged increase of sexual GBV.

Training will go along way in helping the community understand what role they are supposed to be playing, Ibrahim said. 

Among resolutions reached was the need to speak as a community, as well as the need to act at individual, community and Government level.

Other resolutions included embarking on tree planting and making this a culture, as opposed to only waiting for the government to declare a day for the exercise.

Participants also agreed to be accountable duty bearers in policy formulation and with the resources availed to implement the policies.