Elgeyo Marakwet County is formulating a policy aimed at conserving the environment and preventing disasters similar to the recent landslides in Chesongoch and Keiyo North, which claimed about 40 lives.
The County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Environment, Mr. Jason Lagat, said the county is working to restore the Spencer Line along the Kerio Escarpment to halt the cultivation of food crops on steep slopes, a practice that has contributed to soil instability.
Speaking in Iten, Mr. Lagat emphasized that the policy will not involve evicting residents from the escarpment but will instead promote environmentally sustainable activities. “We aim to encourage planting of fruit trees and coffee, which will conserve the environment while providing income for farmers,” he said.
Mr. Lagat expressed concern over the continued planting of food crops, which loosens the soil and, during heavy rains, causes the soil and boulders to wash down, creating devastating consequences for communities downstream. He called on residents to take individual responsibility for conservation, noting that upstream actions directly impact people living in the Kerio Valley.
“This is a collective effort; any degradation upstream has dire consequences downstream, as we have repeatedly witnessed during the rainy seasons,” he said.
The CECM highlighted the increasing frequency of landslides in the county and stressed the need for urgent interventions. The recent disaster in Chesongoch was the second major landslide in the area in a few years. In 2020, Kaben area experienced a landslide that destroyed Liter Girls Secondary School, leaving three people dead, many injured, several missing, and property worth over Sh150 million destroyed. The school had to be relocated to Tot following the tragedy.
Mr. Lagat reiterated that the county government is committed to developing and implementing measures that safeguard the environment and protect communities from recurring natural hazards.
By Alice Wanjiru
