Samburu residents support plastic bags ban

Samburu County residents have praised and firmly supported government’s decision to ban manufacture and use of plastic bags in order to prevent future pollution of environment.

While speaking in Maralal livestock market in Samburu County on Friday (August 25), the pastoralists complained of having incurred losses to a tune of millions of shillings annually following deaths of their livestock after they consumed non-decomposable polythene bags from dumping sites in towns and villages.

Leshare Lekarpi, a resident of Porro area in Samburu Central Sub County, said that he had lost 30 cattle in his herd of 100 and when slaughtered, polythene bags were found in their stomachs.

Simon Lelesiiit, a resident too, is among those praising government for its plans to implement the plastic bags ban.

“We are supporting the ban on plastic bags ten times, our livestock have died for eating waste of polythene bags,” he said.

A section of people have also supported the government’s move saying that it will lead to better environmental management.

However, the national government has been called upon to supply affordable alternative and environment friendly bags in shops.

This comes even as the court upheld a National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) decision to ban manufacturing, importation and use of plastic bags effective Monday (August 28).

Written by Liz Kibor