Residents of Mt Elgon and its environ have been called upon to plant more trees as a way of conserving Mt. Elgon water towers.
The Deputy Head of Public Service (DHPS), Wanyama Musiambu said while leading locals in tree planting event in commemoration of the African Public Service week Friday at Kaberwa Forest, Mt. Elgon sub county Bungoma County said that it was a directive from the Head of State Uhuru Kenyatta.
Musiambu said that it was important to conserve the water tower since there has been encroachment in the forest leading to calamities like landslides.
The DHPS cautioned locals who have encroached on the forest to practice shamba system to vacate with immediate effect.
Musiambu also banned animals from grazing from the place where the conservation is taking place to ensure that the trees planted grow without interference asking the security team to implement the directive.
The DHPS who led the local in planting 10,000 trees along river Kibuk said that water from Mt.Elgon serve the whole of Western region and interring with forest will interfere will millions of live.
He called upon stakeholders and non-government organization to take good care and ensure it goes to its natural form.
On agriculture, Muisiambu urged residents to take advantage of the frequent rain and engage in farming and plant short season crop noting the Mt Elgon is the food basket of the western region.
Stating that from time memorial the place has been well know of production of onion ,potatoes and cabbage that has been feeding the western region.
On Covid-19 the deputy head of public service said that the disease is for people in Nairobi and Mombasa where there is lockdown citing the it can affect anybody from children to the elderly.
He urged resident to continue adhering to the required health directive of washing hands, keeping social distance and putting on mask.
According to the Bungoma County Commissioner (CC), Dr. Adan Mohammed who accompanied Musiambu said that the resident in Mt. Elgon constituency were faced with insecurity, poor infrastructure and destruction of the forest.
Dr. Mohammed said that the major issue causing insecurity in the constituency is land issue, urging Musiambu to fast track the gazattement of Phase two and three in Cheptais sub county since the issue was tabled in parliament.
Noting that despite having been sub divided to residents, it is still gazatted as forest land.
The CC further noted that there was need for the government to put up a weighing bridge at Lwakhaha border along Chwele Lwakhakha road.
He noted that the road is meant to cater for small vehicle but some track drivers are evading Malaba and Busia road due to the COVID 19 following the long jam.
“This will make the road to ware out due to the heavy vehicle.” he noted
Dr. Mohammed said that most of the insecurity in Mt. Elgon Start from Kopsiro and called upon the government to make Kopsiro a fully-fledged Sub county with deputy sub county commissioner for close monitoring.
He said two roads that had been identified in Kopsiro and classified as security road should be renovated to ensure that they are passable in case of any security challenges.
The CC called upon residents to continue adhering to the directive set by the ministry of health on prevention on COVID 19.
By Douglas Mudambo
