LAMU AND KITUI COMMUNITIES PARTICIPATE IN A PEACEFUL MARCH PROTESTING THE MULTI-BILLION KILLER PROJECT

Story by Save Lamu/ Khadija Juma

A time will come where the nation will be more important than individuals, the Lamu and Kitui communities are saying NO to the killer project, which as a result will come with alot of environmental destructions including climate change; it is therefore high time Kenya thinks of going green rather than coal. Potential partners from different places both nationally and internationally took it to the grounds to protest against coal plant in Lamu and mine Kitui Counties and advocating for renewable sources of generating power in Kenya like the Geothermal power Plant in Naivasha, Wind power in Kajiado County etc and also consider hydroelectric way of generating power, which is going to be the first ever in East Africa to be built in Tanzania.

”We urge the government to stop this fossil fuel project and consider renewable’s” said Mohammed Mbwana from Save Lamu during an interview outside Nyayo house in Nairobi against the proposed Lamu coal plant, after the ministry of energy refused to receive their letter of concerns about the proposed plant in Lamu.

Mbwana however went ahead and mentioned some of the risks that may come as a result of the coal plant, “Our sea which produces tonnes of fish yearly will be no more, our agricultural production will be brought to nothing” He said

According to article 37 of the constitution of Kenya, it is clearly stated that every person has the right, peaceably and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket, and to present petitions to public authorities. however the peaceful procession was interrupted by police officers before the protesters got to the Chinese embassy to deliver their letter which explains community concerns about the proposed Lamu Coal Plant and mine in Kitui Counties.

A small team from Save Lamu however went to the Chinese embassy to deliver the letter with up and down, go and come back situations, but still did not give up, and after three hours of assembling outside the gates of the embassy, the letter was finally received. The victory comes in after alot of fails; on February 2019 Save Lamu contacted the Chinese Embassy through Email, hand delivery, and Fax which all went unanswered not forgetting another hand delivery which was done by Save Lamu team to the Chinese Embassy on the 8th of May 2019, but on the 12th of June 2019 was when the letter was received.

Many Countries are now upgrading to green energy, while Kenya wants coal power plant built in Lamu and mining be done in Kitui, we are not against developments coming to Lamu, but we need sustainable development.