Athi River Deputy County Commissioner Mr. Patrick Mwangi has cautioned residents living in unstable houses to move to safer areas before the onset of El Nino rains this month.
Mwangi who was speaking when he presided over a greening initiative at Athi River Vocational Training Centre, where the community in Mavoko and its environs had met to agree on where to plant trees and prepare for El Nino rains advised those living in slums and other vulnerable areas to move.
He said there are areas that have been identified as hot spots that have a history of incidents of soil erosion and structures collapsing during heavy rains, and added they are going to have a meeting with the residents and speak to them to start shifting to safer locations.
The DCC said that the meeting comprised local leaders, church leaders, private sector leaders, County and National government leaders and environmentalists to encourage tree planting and improve the environment in Athi River Sub County.
He said in a bid to elevate and improve the environment, they plan to uncover and unblock drains to help stormwater pass through easily to avoid sewages and damage to plants.
Mwangi added that with their theme being green initiative, they have also targeted to plant over one million trees in Athi River Sub County in a period of two years because they have to prepare seedlings which they plan to distribute among schools, hospitals, companies and other private organizations.
The DCC warned the livestock owners that roam about spoiling trees and plants in Athi River, Mlolongo and Syokimau that they will be arrested and their animals confiscated for the destruction of property.
“I am sending a clear warning to cattle owners that we will not be planting trees just for their cattle to come and destroy them; they should restrict them and supervise their animals or we will arrest them,” warned the DCC.
Mwangi further warned companies causing pollution in Athi River and Mlolongo to focus and adhere to environmental management rules so that their waste and emissions do not affect Athi River residents and the environment at large.
The Manager of Equity Bank Syokimau Gateway Mall Mr. John Wanyoike who is also part of the green initiative committee said they have come together as leaders in Machakos County to plant trees and take care of the environment.
Wanyoike said that taking care of the environment is one of the pillars of growth in the country and everyone should ensure they plant trees in their surroundings.
He said Equity Bank plans to plant 35 million trees in Kenya by 2025 and in Athi River Sub County, they plan to plant 60 thousand trees by 2025 adding they are opening another branch in Mlolongo.
By Anne Kangero and Jasone Ogoti
