By Dickens Wasonga,
The fate of the just gazetted Lake Kanyaboli national reserve in the expansive Yala swamp now hangs in the balance- thanks to a bitter row which has emerged, pitting two groups of councilors at the Siaya county council, over its proposed management.
One camp, led by cllr. Leonard Oriaro, in whose ward the lake exists, has vehemently opposed the conservation efforts being fronted by the council chairman, cllr. Aggrey Onyango, whom they claim was undermining the local leadership, who feel they were never consulted before the project was mooted.
Those opposing the conservation of the lake argue that the plight of the over 200,000 people, who will be displaced by the project, was not being addressed adequately, and want the entire process carried out afresh.
They allege the proponents of the project are rushing it to serve their own vested interests, and in total disregard to the alternative views and opinions of the local communities who live around the lake.
Speaking on behalf of the people of Lake Kanyaboli , the Boro west ward councilor said they were not opposed to efforts to save the lake, but want the council to follow the due process, before it eventually takes over the management of the reserve.
“Can the chairman of Siaya county council show us and the community the minutes of a full or a special council meeting that approved this project? As far as I know, the council has never sat and resolved anything about this project even though it could be a noble one”, he said.
The community, according to the leader, now demand that the whole process be nullified, before they can sign a memorandum of understanding between them and the council, on how the entire project will be managed.
The civic leaders said, as it is , there is no agreement that spells out roles to be played by either of the two parties and how, for example, the revenue generated from the reserve-if fully conserved, will be shared out to benefit both the local authority and the community.
“Whoever came up with such an idea, to have the lake conserved and managed by the county council of Siaya, contravened the ideals to the realization of Vision 2030 in the region. This is because the locals are not in the picture, thereby making the social Pillar aspect not being visible at all”, he said.
But those for the project have dismissed as false assertions by the opposing camp that they were pushing their own agenda through the project.
“These people are only seeking cheap publicity at the expense of a noble project. They must stop playing politics with a project that will create jobs and empower the locals economically”, said the chairman.
According to the chairman, the project will not only give jobs to several youths from the area, but will also earn revenue to the council, part of which will be ploughed back into the community.
Soon after it was gazetted to the status of a national reserve, a section of the community, who included 26 councilors from Siaya county council, were taken on a three day exposure and educational tour, which saw the participants visit Masai Mara national park, and got the opportunity to learn how communities around the Mara have benefited from the reserve.
However, if the bickering, that almost derailed the Mara trip, and current bitter fall out between the civic leadership at the council is anything to go by, then the over sh.500,000 which the Kenya Wildlife Service put onto the tour may be as good as a wasted cash.
Even as they continue fighting, what is at stake is the existence of the lake, whose water levels is understood to be receding very fast due to uncontrolled human activities, which include farming. Various fish species that once provided a lifeline to the area residents have become almost extinct.
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