The riparian land around Lake Naivasha is to be rehabilitated following wanton destruction in recent years.
The land will be planted with yellow acacia seedlings and papyrus plants by the Nakuru county government and environmental groups.
This comes a couple of days after the Kenya Forest Service suspended ongoing subdivision and felling trees on prime land next to the lake.
In the last couple of years, tens of people have invaded the riparian land, cutting down the acacia trees and papyrus plants, damaging the lake's ecosystem.
CEC for Lands in Nakuru John Kihagi said the county was alarmed by the wanton destruction of the riparian land by individuals and companies.
Speaking in Naivasha, Kihagi said they would involve other parties in rehabilitating the riparian land in the coming weeks.
“We have embarked on rehabilitating the riparian land and the process will include planting acacia trees and papyrus,” he said.
The former Naivasha MP put on notice individuals who had illegally encroached on the riparian land, telling them to voluntarily move out ahead of the rehabilitation.
“We shall be working with the department of lands to help us identify the riparian boundaries so that we can make sure that the land is protected,” he said.
Kihagi noted that land disputes in the county had adversely affected planned tree planting by national and county governments.
Chairman of Lake Naivasha Water Resource Users Association (Lanawrua) Enock Kiminta welcomed the planned rehabilitation.
He said the ongoing illegal logging posed a major threat to the lake’s ecosystem adding that the move by KFS was timely.
Kiminta said the land was clearly in a riparian zone, adding that any development plans in future would have adverse effects on the lake.
“All the vegetation around the parcel of land has been cleared to pave way for the demarcation and this spells doom for the lake's ecosystem,” he said.
The National Land Commission in 2016 revoked the title deed of the vast land in Kihoto estate, saying it was on riparian land.
However, the owner Geoffrey Muhoro went back to court and in 2020 the Environmental Court declared the directive by NLC as unconstitutional and revoked the order.
(Edited by V. Graham)
