Some Chonyi community members in Chasimba, Kilifi county have objected to the proposed Sh12 billion cement plant at Mawe Meru over environmental and cultural concerns.
Led by former Bahari MP Mtana Lewa, the residents argued that the proposed plant by Mashujaa Q&M PLC will hurt the community both culturally and environmentally.
Lewa said the area is home to near-extinction flora and fauna including the African violet.
“Mashujaa Q&M PLC is planning to mine the Mawe Meru rock outcrop for limestone. This area is special to us because it is home to over 10 shrines where traditionalists from this community conduct their prayers. This place is also home to over 30 plant species that are classified as threatened. As a community, we have tried to conserve this area and also protect it from destruction,” he said.
Lewa said the factory would affect over 60,000 people.
Justice Chonga, a lawyer and an environmentalist, said the community was not consulted during the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment which was submitted to the National Environmental Management Authority.
“We take great exception to this situation because we understand fully well that public participation on development projects, programmes, policies, and plans is one of the key principles of environmental impact assessment. Public participation is given under the constitution of Kenya. The company has contravened the constitution,” he said.
Chonga said Mawe Meru is an ecocultural site with great significance to the community and conservationists across the world.
Bishop Ronald Nzai of the Methodist Church said the factory would be a recipe for chaos and family feuds.
Nzai said land in the area is registered as agricultural land and title deeds bear names of family members not one person.
“We need to know when the change of user from agricultural to industrial was affected. Some family members are selling land to the company without the knowledge of other members. This is disastrous as it will cause conflicts,” he said.
Sylvia Kuvuna, a youth from Chasimba, said the area has been calm but the proposal to set up the cement plant is threatening the peace of the area.
“Land is a great resource and also very emotive. If the concerns of the community will not be met then anything can happen. We have witnessed killings of the elderly which is mostly catalysed by land problems. Let the government stop this company from interfering with this area,” she said.
Kuvuna further said the mining activities will pose a threat to residents living around due to the emissions from the quarries and the factory.
Nicholas Bandari expressed concerns over the productivity of land when the plant will be in operation.
“The land will be degraded. This is the food basket of Kilifi county. If we allow the company to set ground here then we will be doomed as our farms will produce nothing,” he added.
He said the factory is proposed to be built in a densely populated area.
The community has written to Nema to stop the project.
The African violet, is generally known as Saintpaulia. According to Nature Kenya, the plants at Mawe Meru are classified as Streptocarpus ionanthus subspecies rupicola. This subspecies is found in the wild only in Kenya.
Nature Kenya says 30 other plant species within the Mawe Meru rocky outcrop are classified as threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
“It is critical that Kenya is seen to meet its obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity,” says Paul Matiku, Director of Nature Kenya.
“Under this convention, it is Kenya’s obligation to protect all globally threatened species that occur in the country. The proposed limestone mining will wipe out this subspecies.”