- The Kakamega government plans to spent Sh5 billion to implement a five-year action plan on mitigation of the effects of Climate Change.
- Barasa said his government has set aside Sh109 million in the current budget towards mitigation of climate change actions effects.
Image: HILTON OTENYO
The Kakamega government plans to spend Sh5 billion to implement a five-year action plan on mitigation of the effects of Climate Change.
Governor Fernandes Barasa said the money will be used to implement planned climate change interventions. This include reduction of in use of fossil fuels, rehabilitation and enhancing capacity of water schemes, adoption of solar as alternative source of energy and promotion of sweet potatoes value chain in the next five years.
“Much of the money will come from Financing Locally-Led Climate Action Programme (FLLoCA); climate change investment grant and county contributions,” Barasa said.
“We will only give the earth back to our grandchildren if we reduce energy consumption, if we use renewable energy sources, and if we increase energy efficiency. For our sakes and for the sake of the future generation. Our diet should consist more of plant-based products and we should conserve water,” he said.
Barasa was speaking during the launch of the Kakamega County Climate Change Action Plan at the Mung’ang’a waste to energy facility grounds in Mumias East constituency on Wednesday.
Barasa’s wife Prof Janet Kassilly, speaker of the county assembly James Namatsi, head of Green Economy and Climate Finance Unit and Programme Coordinator, FLLoCA Peter Odhengo and Water, environment, natural resources & climate change Executive Peninah Mukabane attended the event.
The action plan is going to serve as a blueprint to give direction on the necessary steps that the county shall take to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
The governor launched the Kakamega county climate change secretariat, the county climate change technical working group, the county climate change steering committee and the ward climate change committees.
“These committees will ensure sufficient resources are mobilised and that these resources are directed to the right climate change actions at the grassroots level,” he said.
He said the ward based committees have already been trained by the World Bank through National Treasury.
The governor said his cabinet has approved the recruitment of seven climate change and environment experts to enhance the county’s technical capacity to deal with effects of climate change.
He said climate change interventions will be implemented in health and waste management, agriculture and food security, water and waste management environment, infrastructure, and manufacturing in the county.
Barasa said his government has set aside Sh109 million in the current budget towards mitigation of climate change actions effects.
The money will be used to improve capacity of the Osindo Dam Water Project in Likuyani subcounty to serve Kongoni and Sango wards (Sh15 million), fencing of Kakamega forest in Shinyalu (Sh25 million) and renovating and solarisation of Savona eater plant on River Isiukhu to ease water shortage in Kakamega Municipality and Matete Health Centre to help reduce cost of power and enhance service delivery at a cost of Sh25 million.
Other activities include supporting cooking energy-saving activities (Sh5 million), promoting sweet potato value-chain to enhance food security (Sh10 million) and supporting the extraction of water from the Nambacha-Mumias main line for supply in Mumias East under Mumias East Water Project (Sh15 million).
Barasa acknowledged having received Sh22 million county institutional support, adding that the county expects another Sh137 million county investment support grant towards mitigation of climate change effects.
The county chief also launched distribution of 350 bicycles donation by the World Bicycle Relief to Community Health Promoters and 150 Ward Climate Change Committee members.
“This donation is a reminder that we should all promote non-motorised transport for short distances in our communities.”
“When we embrace bicycles and electric vehicles, we cut down on the amount of carbon dioxide in the air,” he said.
The Environmental Protection Agency attributes 95 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions to motor vehicle exhausts.