‘Secret’ Jubilee water project to lead to desertification – Raila

The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leader, Raila Odinga, want the government to stop with immediate effect the construction of the northern water collector at the Aberdare region, a project he says is being undertaken secretly by the Jubilee administration.

Addressing the press on Monday, October 10, Odinga said the Northern Water Collector Tunnel Project, allegedly funded by the World Bank, would have dire effect on the people living on the Tana River basin, Murang’a, Garissa and Ukambani regions.

He stated that the project would see the regions turned into deserts five years after its commencement.

“The environmental impact report recognises the danger of the project and states that it may alter underground system.”

“It will also lead to severe loss of water in Tana River and dry up streams in Garissa, Ukambani and Tana River delta. Muranga, Garissa and Tana River will be deserts within five years of the project being launched,” he said.

The CORD leader accused the Jubilee administration of carrying out the project in secrecy and failing to involve the people living along Tana River basin and other regions that will be affected by the project.

Odinga further claimed that the project goes against the Environmental Management Act and Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation since it poses great threats to the people.

“In Muranga alone, 77 species of aqua life including seven special fish species would be extinct. Water flowing into Masinga dam would also be affected,” said Odinga.

The project, he says, will also increase water flow into Nairobi that would make the region prone to floods.

“This project would double water flowing to Nairobi yet the county has not being prepared to hold water of this level. Nairobi sewerage system can only hold 20 per cent of the city’s waste with the rest ending up in Nairobi River. This project would increase water flow by 180 per cent.”