Preserving beauty of Kenya for future generations

President Uhuru Kenyatta addrssing the nation during this year's World Environment Day on June 5, 2020. PHOTO | PSCU

What you need to know:

  • The negative impact of plastic waste can be seen across Africa.
  • According to statistics collected by environmental NGO’s, over five hundred shipping containers worth of plastic waste are dumped in Africa every month, with only 10 per cent being recycled.
  • Countries across our continent are the largest contributors to the 500 million tons of plastic waste produced a year.

June 5th saw the commemoration of the 45th annual UN World Environment Day. This day takes on a particular significance in our country, considering our position as one of the most bio-diverse nations on the planet.

The day aims to raise awareness of the host of issues related to conservation and the environment, while encouraging initiatives that seek to make our planet cleaner and greener.

Kenya this year marked the day by unveiling a number of important projects which will prove important in making sure that the beauty of our country is preserved for our children. Uhuru opened the day with calls to be inspired by one of Kenya’s environmental champions, the late Nobel Laureate Professor Wangari Maathai.

According to the President’s speech, “We must emulate Wangari’s example, and show by our stewardship that we too are worthy heirs”. It was her personal example, coupled with Uhuru’s insistence that led to sustainable development and environmental protection being placed so high up on our nation’s agenda.

 In Professor Maathai’s spirit, Uhuru and the tourism ministry announce on this year’s World Environment Day the banning of all single use plastics in the national parks, beaches and forests of our country.

Plastic pollution might not intuitively be the first thing you would think about when considering how best to protect the environment. However the underrated nature of this problem is exactly what poses such a significant threat to our continent and the planet more generally.

The negative impact of plastic waste can be seen across Africa. According to statistics collected by environmental NGO’s, over five hundred shipping containers worth of plastic waste are dumped in Africa every month, with only 10 per cent being recycled. Countries across our continent are the largest contributors to the 500 million tons of plastic waste produced a year.

Beyond destroying the environment, plastic pollution also costs people around the world over 8 billion dollars a year in productivity, lost tourism and lost revenue in the agriculture, fishing and aquaculture industries.

At Uhuru’s instruction, our country has become a continental leader in environmental preservation. The best example of this was when three years ago, our president spearheaded the implementation of one the toughest bans on plastic bags in the world.

According to the ban, people manufacturing, importing or selling a plastic carrier bag could be fined up to Sh4 million or face a prison sentence of up to four years. Even the use of banned bags could lead to a fine of more than Sh 50,000 or a year in jail. The success of this policy has been evident, with plastic bag use having been reduced by over 80 per cent.

Aside from bans, World Environment Day this year also saw Uhuru taking constructive steps to restore our national parks to their former glory. This included furthering initiatives to restore Michuki Park in the capital as well as to expand Nairobi National Park. Our president also oversaw the start of a new tree nursery project which will be a home to over one million trees.

 These efforts have been led by the government but have also incorporated private sector actors, such as Safaricom, which are similarly committed to conservation. International partners, such as the European Union, USAID and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have also expressed their dedication to these projects by providing specially allocated funding for this purpose. The scope of the environmental challenge indeed requires international partners if it is to be adequately addressed.

The placing of the environmental challenge so high on our national agenda has been the result not only of the financial toll it takes on important industries in our country, such as agriculture and tourism. The imperative of addressing this challenge stems even more importantly from our commitment to future generations.

The book of Genesis tells us that God gave us the planet to both work and to be stewards of. As a planet we have been failing miserably in the later task. The results of this are sadly all too evident on an international scale. Uhuru has committed to changing this. With efforts underway, results are already being felt although their positive impact will only be fully understood in a few generations time.

Ms Benyawa is a freelance journalist. [email protected]