Government announces plans to revoke titles in wetlands

The government has announced plans to revoke all title deeds in wetlands as part of protecting them.

Environment CS Soipan Tuya on Friday urged those holding title deeds for lands on river banks to voluntarily return them to government.

"Those with title deeds should return them. We will revoke and there will be no negotiations," Tuya warned.

The CS gave the directive at Timboroa Dam when she led the country in commemoration of World Wetlands Day under the theme 'Wetlands and Human well-being'.

Over 60,000 trees were planted over the week as a precursor to the event. 

Tuya said wetlands are nature's kidneys and if interfered with, consequences will be lethal.

"They are kidneys, they are our lifeline and if we destroy them, there will be no water and if there is no water, there is no life," Tuya said.

The CS said Kenya is blessed with a diverse range of Wetlands, including freshwater wetlands, seasonal wetlands, lakes, rivers, dams and marine wetlands.

Wetlands cover approximately a fourth of Kenya’s surface area and play a vital role in the provision of critical environmental services such as being nature's filter for water, replenishing of springs and shielding populations from floods.

"Wetlands are sanctuaries for fish and other aquatic life; nurseries for crops and havens for migratory birds. Wetlands are the silent guardians of our health as they provide oxygen which is essential for our survival and mitigation of climate change,” she said.

Tuya said Wetlands in the country are facing diverse challenges which if left unresolved, threaten our health and survival as human beings.

She said most of Kenya’s wetlands; especially those occupying arable lands are fast being turned into agricultural and human settlements.

“Human encroachment of wetlands has gotten worse over the last five decades, largely due to lack of recognition of their crucial functions and value by host communities,” she said.

Tuya said wetlands in Uasin Gishu County, for instance, vast lands belonging to the former giant East Africa Tanning and Extract Company (EATEC) were sub-divided for human settlement without delineating Wetlands as Environmental Significant Areas (ESAs) that need protection. 

“Consequently, the Wetlands in these areas have been converted into agricultural land leading to diminishing water resources for a County and Region that’s blessed with rich biodiversity and excellent climate. The scarcity of water will eventually lead to diminishing agricultural production, pollution and poor sanitation.”

Environment PS Festus Ng’eno said water and wetlands have crucial links as access to fresh water is declining across the country.

“We witnessed a biting drought of huge proportion last year. Decline in water negatively affects food production, human health, economic development and it can increase societal conflict. There is therefore an urgent need to improve our water governance by treating wetlands as a ‘natural water infrastructure’ since wetlands is the only source of water to which we have easy access," Ng’eno said.

He said there are links between wetlands and climate change as they play an important role in sequestering and storing carbon.

The PS said human disturbances on wetland systems can cause huge carbon emissions.

Kenya Forest Service Chief Conservator of Forests Alex Lemarkoko said the conservation of wetlands will go a long way in fighting the impacts of climate change.

To enhance the 15 billion trees growing campaigns, the CCF said the service is willing and ready to offer technical support to Kenyans.

Lemarkoko said weeding illegal activities will proceed as planned despite outcry from a section of political leaders.

He lauded community forest associations for supporting the operation.

National Environment Management Authority Director General Mamo Mamo said a lot of strides have been made in latest efforts aimed at securing wetlands.