Raila urges green lobby to keep off

Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Tuesday urged environmental groups to stop interfering with development projects.

Mr Odinga put the environmentalists in the dock as he announced plans for a conference that will rally Kenyans behind Government’s reconciliation and poverty eradication programmes.

Mr Odinga said the “One Kenya, One Dream: The Kenya We Want” conference will be held next month.

Big impediment

The PM said lobby groups were frustrating projects meant to put the country on the road to industrialisation and self-sufficiency.

“Our environmentalists are a big impediment to development. The kind of noises they make are not required at this time when we are seeking to reduce poverty,” he said.

Speaking at a breakfast meeting on Tuesday, Mr Odinga said lobby groups were stalling progress in the Tiomin mining project, Sondu Miriu power project, Tana River land development and the port at Lamu.

“So many projects have been described as environmental disasters by the lobbyists. We support conservation but you cannot conserve an environment in its natural form.

“We must develop first. We must tell the environmentalists to give us a break,” he said.

The PM also urged the media to focus on issues affecting the public and criticised the way in which the maize saga and grain handling facility at Mombasa port were reported.

“Why do we only have trivia, sensational news, somebody fighting (Head of Civil Service Francis) Muthaura when we have more important issues?” he asked.

Kenya Editors Guild chairman Macharia Gaitho said politicians were responsible for what was reported in the media.

“We will continue reporting what they say and will only change when they also realise that they have to focus on serious issues,” he said.