Malombe’s plan to cushion Kitui from climate change impact

Within two months in office, Kitu Governor Julius Malombe has made no secret of his concern on the adverse impact of climate change in the county.

As the world awaits the resolutions of COP27 forum in Egypt, Malombe has already announced a two-pronged initiative to confront impacts of climate change.

Malombe has initiated a tree planting programme and to address the issue of water deficit, he said, 2,400 sand dams would be built across Kitui at acost of about Sh2.4 billion.

He said the dams will increase water for irrigation to counter the unreliable rain-fed farming. 

He has also disclosed plans for an elaborate tree planting exercise in schools, river banks and county forests as well as supporting planting of at least 5 trees in each homestead.

The governor added that in collaboration with other stakeholders, training and sensitisation programmes on environmental conservation would be carried out in the county.

He further said a sustainable charcoal management policy will also be implemented together with a sustainable sand harvesting management policy.

The governor added that his administration would also formulate and implement a sustainable mineral management policy.

Last Friday, Malombe created a department whose sole mandate will be to deal with climate change matters, saying the impacts are unforgiving and must be confronted.

Governor Malombe took office at the time when acres of forests and woodlands in Kitui were badly decimated through wanton charcoal burning.

Kitui county assistant director for environment and climate change, Dominic Muumbu on Wednesday, said by 2013 Kitui forest cover had dropped to 3.49 per cent due to deforestation.

He said in 2014, Malombe’s administration(then governor) took cognisance of the negative impact of deforestation and embarked on conservation and restoration endeavours.

“We partnered with Kenya Forest Service, Kitui Kefri centre, Kitui Caritas and the Anglican Development Services as well as community groups.  By 2017, KFS had increased Kitui’s forest cover to 7.08 per cent ,” Muumbu said.

He said an elaborate tree planting programme saw many nurseries set up in protected areas — schools, dispensaries, chiefs’ offices and churches.

Muumbu said the conservation efforts saw Kitui scoop the 1st prize as the top county in tree growing and forest conservation in 2017.

Due to climate change Kitui has been facing prolonged drought and famine due to failed rains resulting to drying up of water sources and lack of pasture for livestock.

County National Drought Management coordinator Francis Koma recently disclosed that Kitui has slipped into to the alarm stage of severe drought.

Koma told the Star that 341,000 people in Kitui are in dire need of relief food and may die if no immediate action is taken.