News

9 July 2008

An update from Serah Munguti, Nature Kenya ...

Hon. Gumo, the Minister for National Development Authorities visited the project area and declared that the project will start in 6 months.  The hard copies of this story (The Standard Page 36) have additional information that the Prime Minister Raila Odinga has endorsed the project. His visit was also covered by NTV news 9th July at 9.00 p.m. Maulidi Diwayu, chair of The Tana Delta Conservation Organization had mobilised local people to present their views to the minister. In fact, at least on TV, the minister was surrounded by protesters as he said the project will go ahead. NEMA’s Director General Dr. Mwinzi was on Citizen TV news at 9 p.m. saying that environmentalists did not have any proof on the project’s impact on biodiversity

3rd July 2008

The Kenya Wetlands Forum, local community reps and BirdLife held a press conference at the Kenyatta International Conference Center. More than 10 media houses attended. At least 10 elders from the local community attended. Key messages included: the 20,000 jobs that the project proponents purport to create are inconsequential since local people lack expertise and can only be hired for menial jobs; public consultative on meetings the ground were held outside the project area, a local community delegation comprising 23 elders visited and presented their grievances to several ministers. Their views have been disregarded by NEMA and the government. There is a land dispute in the delta between local communities and TARDa. The EIA is not really clear on how much land will be put under sugarcane. 32 villages will be affected if local communities will be displaced by the sugarcane project. The project will be located in the heart of the delta despite the government’s statements that it will be some 30 kilometers away. The local community will jealously their ‘God given’ delta. There are other sites already set aside for irrigation schemes e.g. Bura and Hola irrigation schemes, where the sugarcane project can be implemented. BirdLife, representing the international community, said that there were genuine concerns that NEMA and the Kenya government need to address.

Advocacy

10th July 2008

Letters to birdlife partners were sent out today. Partners will write letters of protest against the sugarcane project to the Kenya Government, NEMA, project proponents and other institutions

8th July 2008

Letters were send to the Minister for Environment, Kenya, with copies to NEMA, TARDA, MSC, The Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Land and Natural Resources and relevant government ministries and institutions.

Publicity

10th July 2008

  • Dr Mungai, who conducted the sugarcane project’s EIA was on Citizen’s breakfast show, drumming up support for the project The People Daily, No end in sight for TARDA project

9th July 2008

  • Steve Itela and Ken Mwathe held a recording session with capital fm. It will be aired on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on both days on Capital’s Green Desk programme.

8th July 2008

  • The People Daily, Why the scramble to turn district into sugar belt? An opinion article by S.R. Athembo from Kisumu who supports environmentalists opposed to the sugarcane project in the Tana Delta

3rd July 2008

  • The press conference was covered by Capital FM news at 1, 4 and 6 p.m, KTN Business News at 9 p.m -this included the newsbyte;. ; Kiss FM. KWF members mentioned the Tana Dleta issue in Citizen TV’s Louis Otieno Live programme. 
  • Steve Itela conducted a live interview on Citizen TV news at 7 a.m.

2nd July 2008

  • A German media correspondent interviewed Serah on the Tana Delta and we will be on the look out for the publicity that comes out of this.
  • Serah conducted a phone interview with the BBC Network Africa and was aired on the news at 8 a.m.
  • Paul Matiku was interviewed by BBC and aired in the Swahili news at 8 p.m.

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