The government plans to renovate at least 50 check dams that were put up in Suswa and Mosiro areas of Narok County to curb flush flood erosion attributed to the siltation in Lake Magadi in Kajiado County.
Youth Affairs Principal Secretary Charles Sunkuli said the dams would help control immense soil erosion caused by flash floods that occur during the rainy season.
Sunkuli who spoke in a Narok Hotel during the fourth medium term 2023-2027 consultation forum said over 8, 000 tonnes of soil is swept into the ocean every five minutes during the rainy season which poses a major risk to the lake.
Sunkuli said the rivers flowing to Lake Magadi would depend on the conservation of Loita Forest in Narok South Sub County where key rivers originate from.
Other measures in place to revive the lake is sensitizing residents of Suswa and Mosiro area in Narok East to plant trees and empower them to do alternative livelihood programmes that were environment friendly.
“The residents should know the need to plant trees in their farms and engage in a proper farming system that is friendly to the environment,” he said.
He reiterated the need to put protocol on all water points in the county by putting in place a functional Water Resource Users Association (WRUA) so that everybody is able to access water.
Narok County Commissioner Isaac Masinde said since the government banned human activities at the Maasai Mau Forest, there has been an increase of water volumes in the rivers.
“Even those camping next to the forest land with a hope of going back one day are mistaken. The forest is slowly rejuvenating and the government has planted millions of trees in the area,” he said.
The fourth Medium Term Plan has adopted the theme, ‘Accelerating Socio-economic transformation to a more competitive, inclusive and resilient economy’.
The participants were heads of department, county government executive members, chief officers, media, non-governmental organizations, civil society groups and women groups’ representatives.
By Ann Salaton
