The government has appointed a nine-man team to oversee the management of the country‘s five water towers in a move expected to unlock donor funding and give fresh impetus to the rehabilitation effort launched two years ago.
The National Water Towers Management committee set up last week by Prime Minister Raila Odinga to lobby for funding and guide the process of rehabilitating the country’s forest services is made up of top government officials, conservationist and members of foreign missions.
“These appointments are in accordance with the government’s financial management regulations on water towers conservation funds and take effect from December 1,”Mr Odinga said in last week’s gazette notice.
The team is headed by the chairman of East African Wildlife Society, Prof. Fredrick Onyango, and will be in office in the next two years.
Other members are Finnish Embassy forestry expert Taina Velthem, Italian Embassy official Leon Comin, Rhino Ark veteran Colin Church and Egerton University Council vice chairman Mohamed Awer Mohamed.
The country has five main forest areas – Mt. Kenya, the Aberdare Ranges, the Mau Complex, Mt Elgon, and the Cherangani hills – which have been depleted alarmingly by human encroachment. UNEP estimates the loss in sectors such as agriculture, water and tourism have suffered due to destructions of the Mau complex alone at sh24billion.
Report Courtesy of Business Daily
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