A team of cyclists has embarked on a 354 kilometer journey from Kisumu to Nairobi to create awareness on climate change.
The initiative, which is a pre-event for the Africa Climate Week Summit which kicks off in Nairobi on Monday targets to draw the attention of members of the public and rally them behind various programmes to mitigate effects of climate change.
Organized by the Lake Victoria Basin Authority (LBDA), the cyclists who were flagged off on Sunday morning will make stop overs in Kericho and Nakuru before arriving in Nairobi on Tuesday.
LBDA Managing Director (MD) Wycliffe Ochiaga said the journey was part of the sided event organised by the agency in Kisumu to run concurrently with the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi.
“The reason why we are doing this is to create awareness on climate change and what we need to do to mitigate the effects of this phenomenon,” he said.
Various exhibitors from 18 counties where the agency operates are expected to grace the side event to be held at the Lake Basin Mall in Kisumu from Monday.
Ochiaga said the deliberations are expected to shape policy on climate change and at the same time build capacity for the various state and non-state agencies and members of the public to play an active role in climate change mitigation.
“We want to tap into the available knowledge and bring to the fore issues that are not raised in boardrooms like how we can incorporate our elders in mitigating effects of climate change,” he said.
LBDA, he added, has rolled out various programmes within the community, among them modern farming technology and solar energy interventions to mitigate climate change.
Kisumu County Commissioner (CC) Hussein Alassow Hussein who flagged off the cyclists said the journey was a key strategy in sending home the climate change message.
Through the various stop overs, he said, the cyclists would be able to engage members of the public to understand the importance of climate mitigation measures and take the necessary action.
Kisumu County Executive Committee member (CECM) in charge of tourism Farida Salim said the county stands to benefit immensely from the side events as the world congregates in Nairobi.
“We recently launched Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) Mashinani courtesy of Kenyatta International Convention Center. With this in place counties like us can now have a share of the international events being held in Nairobi,” she said.
By Chris Mahandara
