We will firmly enforce all environmental laws, CS Duale assures

Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has assured of the Government’s commitment to the enforcement of all environmental laws including those sustainable waste management and protection of ecosystems.

CS Duale made the assurance Tuesday when he appeared before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Defense, Intelligence and Foreign Relations to respond to environmental concerns regarding the operations of the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK) in Samburu and Laikipia Counties.

At the meeting, chaired by Belgut MP Nelson Koech the CS said the ministry had issued an environmental restoration order to BATUK which requires it to grant NEMA inspectors full access to its training facilities to conduct an environmental impact assessment.

Additionally, the order requires BATUK to provide a record of all notifications of environmental incidents from the past five years including their causes and the corrective actions undertaken within seven days.

Duale, who was accompanied by the Director General of NEMA Mamo Mamo and the Ministry’s Head of Legal Affairs Annie Syombua, reiterated that all institutions, whether national or international, operating in Kenya in any capacity that affects the environment must strictly adhere to the provisions of the 1999 Environmental Management and Coordination Act.

He underscored the Ministry’s commitment to the attainment of 30pc tree cover by 2032 through the 15 Billion National Tree Growing Programme which is flagship Kenya Kwanza administration’s climate action and livelihoods initiative.

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