Lamu is faced with a tough decision on whether to continue conserving it or allow coal mining in the area. The coal mine is to provide the needed power as per our vision 2030. If we go ahead and embrace the coal mining, we will be placing our environment in crisis. The environment impacts to be experienced is far much harmful than the benefits. UNESCO saw good in Lamu but that may be lost very soon. And once again, we are at logger heads with our politicians for the sake of safe environment for our fellow Kenyans. The old town of Lamu is about to have a very bad turn of events if the environmentalists or the government fail to stop the coal plant to be built there.
It’s very sad that not all the residents were well informed on what was about to happen to their land during the collection of people’s opinion. Our National Environment Management Authority, NEMA, are to educate Kenyans on the pros and cons of any developments around them. They are to collect people’s opinions afterwards so as to decide whether or not to allow such developments to happen. But are they doing enough. Are they being truly honest and have our best interest at heart. Or are they going the same way as the few corrupt Kenya Forest Service and Kenya Police officials that destroy the same trees , they are paid to protect ?
From what the locals of Lamu understood and know is that, the plant will have a very long chimney that will help the harmful gases escape to the skies. Then I ask , what about the acidic rains? Waste management is another thing to worry about. As we all know most plants near big water bodies, will always be tempted to dispose to the running waters. Easy and cheap. Being near the Indian Ocean , we can almost know how this will go. Right?
Lamu is one of the few places in Kenya with the best forest cover and in that case, the indigenous species. The residents have not done much harm compared to the rest of the country. It the home of the most of our mangrove forest. The mangroves that the environmentalist and residents have find a way to salvage from destruction. Their good job is about to brought down to zero.We do love developments and are more than happy to welcome them but we also do care about their consequences. There will no need to enjoy awesome development in a rotten environment, right? It is very funny when we tend to place price tag on developments against environment.
The other day i can across a funny quote that was very sarcastic but very true. It read, If trees could provide free WiFi, we could grow them everywhere too bad they provide oxygen.
Mangroves provide us with oxygen and helps reduce all the carbon we produce on our daily activities. They have a zillion benefits to all living organisms but may seem too cheap to lose. Why are we killing ourselves knowingly.
So from what I have been researching, despite the benefits of mining coal, most countries are moving away from it. This is due to the harsh consequences that follows afterwards. We are to learn from other people’s mistakes. With all the resources at their disposal, the negative effects are still not controllable.
China has been very “helpful” to Kenya lately. Sponsoring and driving most of the developments in the country. So you are busy cutting down the use of coal in your own country but generous to make it work here. I thought we are brother’s keepers from all the relationships we have been building lately. You helped us get the Madaraka Express which aided long distance travel but will eat up out only city in the sun. Are we in a symbiotic, parasitic or what relationships. We are to do to other as we would like them do unto us. We are no longer in colonization era. We are more than happy to share our natural resources but will not allow anyone take them away from us. Even our government itself.
Our sky is still blue and we want it to remain that way. If possible, we don’t want any other pollution to our environment. We are busy working on eliminating the existing ones and we hope to have it that way. There’s always other way to solve issue. As much as we need power, it has to be produced in an environmental friendly way. Coal mining might be a good way to give us more power but if it will affect our environment, then we won’t be happy to welcome it.
Humble note to our politicians
Dear politicians, you guys change your thoughts every now and then. Please don’t kill our environment for the sake of your pockets. Before you support a project and decide the “bad” decisions for all Kenyans, at least do some research without thinking how your pockets will benefit. Don’t think about the money you will earn from the project but think of the consequences of those developments.
Our environment is very important just like your are important to us. Let’s not allows negative developments such as coal mining come between us. But we still don’t mind about it. We always disagree to agree and sometime disagrees all the way. We will continue to fight with or without your help. After all, we are the ones who suffer this consequences as you live best lives mostly oversees.
We elect you to represent us and not your own opinions. Some times your opinions may not be our opinions but you will have to eat your pride and be exactly what we employed you to be. Our spokesmen/women.
Interesting blog post. I hope the environmentalists will win this political battle. Once destroyed, lost plant and animal species can’t come back.
Thank you very much. That’s true, we should strive to save the remaining species ASAP.