News

1 July 2008

An update from Serah Munguti, Nature Kenya ...

Kwendo Opanga, a Kenyan journalist, tried to get the Kenya Wetlands Forum (KWF) to a (KBC) TV debate, with Prof. Mungai who conducted the flawed TISP EIA study. However, KWF declined the invitation and offered to speak in a media panel including NEMA, TARDA and Mumias Sugar Company. Needless to say, Prof. Mungai and KBC said the EIA study was conducted in compliance with the law.

NEMA sent out a press release saying due process was followed in the TISP EIA process and that they had approved the ‘non-controversial phase 1 of the project’. In our response we said any biofuels project in the world today is controversial; there is no EIA for a phase I of the project - NEMA approved the entire project EIA; NEMA does not design projects and the proponent should have been asked to design a project for change of user (from rice to sugarcane) and submit an EIA for the so called area for phase I; there is no project design document anywhere in the hands of stakeholders; local community and civil society views have been disregarded.

In another development, Hon. Fred Gumo, the Minister for Regional Development, addressed a press conference at 10 a.m. on the Tana Delta and the sugarcane project. In the ensuing publicity, Hon Fred Gumo told media that the sugarcane project will go on and it is a government project. The local community should ignore what “lobbyists” are saying about the project and back the government position. That he, as minister for regional development will visit the area next week to reassure the community.

Publicity

29th June 2008

• The Sunday Nation had a small paragraph on page 23, Tarda dejected by opposition to sugar plan

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