Wetlands in Western Kenya are facing degradation. This is due to eucalyptus plantations, sugar cane farming, unregulated grazing and poor farming methods.
Teso South subcounty, located in Busia county, is part of the water catchment area of River Sio. The river measures 1,448 kilometre square and stretches from Bungoma, Walatsi, Sio to Lake Victoria. River Musokoto, Walatsi and Kakolait are some of the tributaries of River Sio.
River Musokoto
Riverine wetlands along River Musokoto, Kakolait and Walatsi feed these rivers. The rivers then collectively drain into River Sio, a tributary of Lake Victoria.
In 2012, the Ministry of Environment and Natural resources, through the Kenya Wetland Atlas, identified fishing, large-scale farming, harvesting of papyrus ree, sand harvesting and irrigation as factors affecting wetlands.
Lake Victoria’s catchment basin faces damaging inappropriate land use and overuse, conversion of wetlands to agricultural land, unsustainable exploitation of resources, land subdivision and fragmentation.
The impact of the riverine wetland use is poor quality of water, reduced water levels, pollution and loss of land cover, flooding and reduced marine life. River Musokoto runs 25km from its source in Kimaiti, Bumula ward in Bungoma county, to its confluence of River Musokoto with River Walatsi in Busia county. It is one of the most affected by human activities, having been reduced to a mere stream.
Why The Water Act 2002 defines a riparian zone as “land lying within a distance equal to the width of the water course with a minimum of two metres and a maximum of 30 metres”. In Kenya, a riparian zone is owned by the landowner up to the middle of the river or stream. The owner also enjoys other rights. These include right of water to access and navigation, right to natural quantity in the water course and right to the natural quality of the water in the water course.
Why River's drying up
River Musokoto passes through a populated area. Bumula ward in Bungoma county, the source of River Musokoto, has a population of 202,133 persons ( 97,428 males and 104,705 females) as at 2013.
This is a density of 581persons/km2. The population density in Busia county, where River Musokoto meets River Walatsi, is 438.90 persons/km2.
One reason River Musokoto is drying up is sugar cane farming. Sugar cane is one of the few cash crops in western Kenya. The riverine wetlands make it attractive to landowners to cultivate the crop. This is because the land is fertile compared to the uplands.
This crop is being cultivated along the river’s watershed. This reduces the quantity of water seeping into River Musokoto.
The second factor is eucalyptus plantations. Eleven eucalyptus plantations are found along the entire 25km of the river. The plantations affect the level of both ground and surface water storage. In the long run, the amount of water reaching the river during the dry season is reduced.
Third is poor farming practices along the river, such as cultivating along the watershed. This has increased rates of soil erosion resulting in the river getting silted. The river has reduced in depth and size to become a mere stream.
Fourth is vegetation clearance. The natural vegetation that once grew along the river is no longer present. This is due to clearing of vegetation through cutting and burning for agriculture or construction.
This has reduced the capacity of the soils to retain water during the rainy season and their filtration capabilities are no more.
Finally there’s lack of education on the value of wetlands. The residents of Bungoma and Busia counties where the river passes valued the riparian zone alongside it.
With the passing of the old generation, the current generation views the wetlands as wasteland. The land is today reclaimed for profit. This has seen indiscriminate destruction of the wetland, with River Musokoto bearing the brunt of their actions.
Recommendations
The county governments of Busia and Bungoma should engage with landowners and enforce the two-30 metres rule. Farmers need to be encouraged to practise conservation agriculture.
Riverine associations need to be formed to protect the river. An alternative to farming as a means of livelihood should be established. This will bring in equal or more profits and the wetlands will be safe.
Sustainable Development Goal 15 aims at protecting, restoring and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity degradation.
This goal can be achieved when the landowners bordering the river and the county governments of Bungoma and Busia work together to protect the River from an eminent death.
The drying of the river will have an impact on River Sio and eventually Lake Victoria. This will be an ecological disaster. It is not late to turn the tide in restoring River Musokoto to its original state.