The country’s water towers that are the source of our rivers are threatened by rampant human activity in the form of logging, charcoal burning and encroachment by informal settlements.
In the face of tell-tale signs of climate change—characterised by global warming, floods that alternate with severe prolonged drought—even skeptics now agree that the way we treat our natural resources will impact adversely or favourably on our surroundings.
In the past Mau forest has served as a pawn in a cocktail of impunity, political expediency, thoughtlessness and recklessness, or even as a rope given to a rival to hang oneself with, even as politicians encouraged illegal settlements or agitated for evictions to suit parochial selfish aims.
The imperative now is for all to objectively weigh merits and demerits of conserving Mau water tower. With depleted forest cover countrywide, we have no option but to plant more trees to fight the effects of greenhouse gases and mitigate global warming. All are, indeed, hence in agreement on the need to work for the common good through institution of sound environmental policies. Let the powers that be approach environmental issues like the Mau Forest saga with sobriety to arrive at an amicable solution for all. There is urgent need to focus on the bigger picture, and avoid sectarian activism that politicizes issues for the sake of it. With sober minds, look at benefits and disadvantages of conserving Mau Forest, both short and long term and desist using the water tower to settle scores.
It behooves all of us, more so politicians on both sides of the divide to approach this matter with the seriousness it deserves. We have seen rivers dry up, as lakes recede due to environmental degradation. It therefore goes without saying that we can only ignore the tell-tale signs of environmental neglect at our own peril. Let us all unite to conserve our natural heritage for posterity.