Enough is Enough
GBM Press Release
July 22, 2009
The Green Belt Movement is shocked and embarrassed by the continuing reckless and insatiable greed for forests, rivers and wetlands despite the inevitable suffering that is befalling the people of this country.
The long term unsustainable management, occupation, exploitation and degradation of these resources has precipitated crop failure, hunger and death.
Our landscape is adorned with carcasses of wildlife, hippos stuck in the mud in lakes and wildebeests with broken limbs as they jump on bare rocks in a drying up Mara River. There is no water even for drinking and for essential services. The situation is completely untenable. Our country is facing an ecological disaster of our own making.
We must take a restorative action! Let us start wherever we are by declaring that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and beginning the reversing process.
We can start by refusing to be victims of greed, corruption, arrogance and selfishness. We must not wait until we die of hunger and thirst. We must take action and reverse this process!
Let us start wherever we are. There are many things we can all do. For example:
1. Plant trees and protect those still standing. Even it is not raining, plant just one and nurture it to ensure it survives.
2. Demand from your Member of Parliament that there be no more human settlements, cultivation, grazing and charcoal burning in the forests. There should be immediate cessation of all deforestation, degradation and illegal occupation of forests, rivers and wetlands.
3. Practice soil conservation and water harvesting techniques like digging trenches, terraces and cutoff drains to harvest rain water when the rains come.
4. Join in the planned tree planting events in our efforts to reclaim grabbed wetlands and river reserves.
The first tree planting event will be on 1st August, 2009 at the Spring Valley site along Lower Kabete Road.
This site was visited by Hon. James Orengo, Minister of lands as well as Minister Charity Ngilu Minister of water. Both Ministers declared that no buildings should be erected at that wetland. When Minister Ngilu visited the site as a concerned Minister of Water, hired armed militia dared throw stones at her and her team, in full view of uniformed policemen!
Despite the statements from the two Ministers assuring the public that no construction would be erected at that wetland, as well as Minister Michuki assuring us that no building will be allowed on wetlands, construction has continued as if the Ministers and Kenyans who need water and the green space do not count.
The Green Belt Movement has for many years drawn attention to the need to manage the environment responsibly and accountably. However, greed and selfishness has always been put before the lives of Kenyans, who are now paying a heavy price… with their own lives! Indeed the current crisis threatens food security, destabilizes the livelihoods of millions of Kenyans, jeopardizes public health and endangers national security.
In the meantime the rich and powerful continue to play politics with the environment and the lives of Kenyans. Well, we can decide to sit and moan our misfortunes until we die or we can decide to take action.
We can decide to take back our country, restore, conserve and protect it. If we do not do so immediately we might as well start digging our own graves.
For our own sake and that of our children and grandchildren, let us rise up. We must end the building of apartments, malls and even religious institutions on our forests, wetlands or rivers.
We are calling on all Kenyan of goodwill to step out of their comfort zone and counter greed and corruption. All of us have a responsibility to act. We owe it to ourselves and our children.
We invite you to join us on Saturday, 1st August, 2009 at Spring Valley. We shall plant trees on all wetlands and reclaim them back. They are public lands and they are essential parts of the water system. No corruption in government offices can change that. “Enough is enough!”
The long term unsustainable management, occupation, exploitation and degradation of these resources has precipitated crop failure, hunger and death.
Our landscape is adorned with carcasses of wildlife, hippos stuck in the mud in lakes and wildebeests with broken limbs as they jump on bare rocks in a drying up Mara River. There is no water even for drinking and for essential services. The situation is completely untenable. Our country is facing an ecological disaster of our own making.
We must take a restorative action! Let us start wherever we are by declaring that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and beginning the reversing process.
We can start by refusing to be victims of greed, corruption, arrogance and selfishness. We must not wait until we die of hunger and thirst. We must take action and reverse this process!
Let us start wherever we are. There are many things we can all do. For example:
1. Plant trees and protect those still standing. Even it is not raining, plant just one and nurture it to ensure it survives.
2. Demand from your Member of Parliament that there be no more human settlements, cultivation, grazing and charcoal burning in the forests. There should be immediate cessation of all deforestation, degradation and illegal occupation of forests, rivers and wetlands.
3. Practice soil conservation and water harvesting techniques like digging trenches, terraces and cutoff drains to harvest rain water when the rains come.
4. Join in the planned tree planting events in our efforts to reclaim grabbed wetlands and river reserves.
The first tree planting event will be on 1st August, 2009 at the Spring Valley site along Lower Kabete Road.
This site was visited by Hon. James Orengo, Minister of lands as well as Minister Charity Ngilu Minister of water. Both Ministers declared that no buildings should be erected at that wetland. When Minister Ngilu visited the site as a concerned Minister of Water, hired armed militia dared throw stones at her and her team, in full view of uniformed policemen!
Despite the statements from the two Ministers assuring the public that no construction would be erected at that wetland, as well as Minister Michuki assuring us that no building will be allowed on wetlands, construction has continued as if the Ministers and Kenyans who need water and the green space do not count.
The Green Belt Movement has for many years drawn attention to the need to manage the environment responsibly and accountably. However, greed and selfishness has always been put before the lives of Kenyans, who are now paying a heavy price… with their own lives! Indeed the current crisis threatens food security, destabilizes the livelihoods of millions of Kenyans, jeopardizes public health and endangers national security.
In the meantime the rich and powerful continue to play politics with the environment and the lives of Kenyans. Well, we can decide to sit and moan our misfortunes until we die or we can decide to take action.
We can decide to take back our country, restore, conserve and protect it. If we do not do so immediately we might as well start digging our own graves.
For our own sake and that of our children and grandchildren, let us rise up. We must end the building of apartments, malls and even religious institutions on our forests, wetlands or rivers.
We are calling on all Kenyan of goodwill to step out of their comfort zone and counter greed and corruption. All of us have a responsibility to act. We owe it to ourselves and our children.
We invite you to join us on Saturday, 1st August, 2009 at Spring Valley. We shall plant trees on all wetlands and reclaim them back. They are public lands and they are essential parts of the water system. No corruption in government offices can change that. “Enough is enough!”