Ranguma and Kidero taken to court in wetlands row

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero addresses participants during the launch of a health initiative at Kenyatta National Hospital on May 5, 2015. He has been accused by an activist of land encroachment. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The county bosses and environment secretary in the ministry of Environment Alice Kaudia have been sued by Michael Nyaguti, an activist.
  • He sought to restrain the defendants and anyone they are dealing with from engaging in construction near the lake.

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero and his Kisumu counterpart Jack Ranguma have been given 30 days to respond to an application stopping them from encroaching on riparian land near Lake Victoria.

The county bosses and environment secretary in the ministry of Environment Alice Kaudia have been sued by Michael Nyaguti, an activist.

He sought to restrain the defendants and anyone they are dealing with from engaging in construction near the lake.

Mr Nyaguti argued that continuation of the activities was likely to harm the wetlands.

“I propose that the court visits the site to understand what I am raising,” he told the Kisumu Land and Environment court.

The activist added that the governors had fenced off plots beyond their boundaries, encroaching on the wetlands.

He said only the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) had responded to his request.

He also asked the court to compel Nema to unconditionally release to him information regarding the environmental impact assessment report.

“What I have is a report from Mr Ranguma, but not the others. I support a site visit,” Nema lawyer Erastus Gitonga said.

The activist, who is the chairman of Magnam Environmental Network, told the court that there is need for the case to be speeded up because land encroachment in Kisumu “is becoming a matter of concern”.