Counties

Keriako fails to give Kisii nod for Sh6bn sugar mill in forest

tobiko

Environment secretary Keriako Tobiko (right) with Kenya Water Towers Agency chairman Isaac Kalua at a media briefing in February. PHOTO | ANDREW KILONZI

The planned construction of a Sh6 billion sugar factory in Kisii hangs in the balance after Environment secretary Keriako Tobiko declined to give the green light for the excision of 120 acres of forestland.

Mr Tobiko told the Senate Committee on Land that key environmental issues including reduction of county forest cover from current 2.6 per cent to below two per cent, drying up of several rivers and management of effluent that will emanate from the proposed sugar factory.

“I think I have demonstrated that I have very serious concerns, unanswered questions about this whole project such that I am not able, unless those concerns are fully addressed, to recommend either way,” Mr Tobiko told the committee chaired by Marsabit Senator Hargura Mohamed.

“I have open mind, not preconcluded. This is where I am chairman and members.”

The committee is scrutinising a petition presented by Kisii Senator Sam Ongeri on behalf of governor James Ongwae who is seeking Senate’s approval to excise 120 acres of Nyangweta Forest to pave the way for the sugar factory project.

An Indian investor who has committed to develop the sugar factory to crush cane, produce ethanol and generate power is expected to appear before the Senators Thursday morning.

“They admit Kisii is far below threshold of forest cover but they also make undertaking that they will mitigate that by compensating through gazettement of additional forests.

READ: Indian firm to build Sh5bn sugar complex in Kisii

“In total, they say they will give out 13 forest areas for gazettement and these total areas will aggregate to 97 hectares about 240 acres,” Mr Tobiko said.

He said of the 13 blocks, only five have so far been gazetted leaving out another eight.

“Information given by Kenya Forest Service (KFS) surveyors who are present here confirm that majority of this other blocks are settled areas. From their own field inspection, there is no compensation for the excising of Nyangweta. I can’t just make recommendation by tossing a coin,” Mr Tobiko said.

He said Nyangweta Forest is the largest in the county and that the rest of the 13 blocks are bits and pieces of hills, some as little as five hectares.

“I asked really? Is that a forest or a shamba? We don’t want to romanticise a forest, they play critical ecological functions. I have asked my team, including Nema and KFS, to tell me this one block of 250 acres, as one forest against bits and pieces strewn across the county how do they compare in terms of ecosystem service value,” Mr Tobiko said.