Five traders in the border town of Moyale in Marsabit County were yesterday arrested for being in possession of plastic carrier bags.
An enforcement team from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) pounced on the traders barely a day after another swoop in Marsabit town netted thousands of the illegal commodity and apprehended three traders.
Marsabit County Director of Environment Edward Wawire said the suspects were found with an assortment of 9,366 pieces of both carrier and flat plastic bags.
The traders, Ibrahim Dida, Fatuma Jillo, Abdi Fatah, Ali Abdi and Fatuma Rashid were booked at the Moyale police station where they were released on a cash bail of Sh 20,000 each. They are set to appear in court on Monday 12th October, 2020.
Mr. Wawire reiterated the government’s commitment in the protection of the environment and warned traders that they would not be allowed to negate gains so far made in the fight against use of plastic bags.
He cautioned residents against allowing their shopping to be packed in plastic bags as those caught will be equally punished.
Meanwhile, the NEMA enforcement team which comprised two regional directors of environment arrested a woman in the same town of Moyale’s Sessi estate for allegedly putting up a building on government land and without the requisite documents.
Wawire said Jacinta Jalo Sora who is said to be a spouse to a chief officer in the Marsabit County government was arrested for commencing the construction of a building on the said plot next to the local NIS offices without an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) license.
The enforcement team included the Regional Director of Environment for Central and Eastern Region Mr. Stephen Njoka and his Coastal and North eastern counterpart Mr. Wachira Bore.
“We had to take action following failure by the senior government official to avail the requisite documents to Nema as earlier ordered,” said the County Director of Environment.
She was booked at the Moyale police station and released on a cash bail of Sh 100,000 awaiting arraignment in court on Monday.
By Sebastian Miriti
