Kenya: Kerio families plea over pollution

Kenya: Kerio families plea over pollution

by Kenya News Agency

5th December 2005

OVER 1,400 families whose land was set aside for the mining of fluorspar in the Kerio Valley have appealed to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to protect their right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

The community complained that Kenya Fluorspar Company (KFC) has continued to expose them to constant health hazards through its mining activities.

Investigations by KNA revealed that people still lived within the mining environs although they were to be relocated when the land was earmarked for mining in the 1970s.

A community rights group formed to champion for their rights, Kimarer Sugutek Community Rights Group, accused the mining company of disregarding environmental laws by the level of noise from explosives and discharging harmful effluents into the Kerio River and appealed to NEMA to act against it.

The groups secretary, David Seurei and elder, Nehemiah Chepkwony and Martha Keitany informed KNA that three dams the company used to empty its effluents were filled up with fluoride silt claiming the company was now discharging effluents in to River Kerio and on land.

Laboratory analysis on water, milk, honey, soils and plants conducted by a lecturer at Egerton University indicated high levels of concentration of fluoride, phosphate and sulphate were way above the WHO/NEMA recommended levels.

The fluorspar processing operations are responsible for the observed contamination of soils, water, plant and high levels of mineral content in animal’s tissue, the report indicates.

NEMA recently wanted to shut down companies including fluorspar that failed to minimize environmental pollution. NEMA’s Director-General, Professor Ratemo Michieka said industries must adhere to environmental conservation rules.