After serving the Township Location in Bungoma town as a senior chief for 30 years, Joseph Cheng’oli, 61, embarked on an environmental conservation mission in 2024. Cheng’oli reveals that along the way, he decided to empower his community in climate action by mobilizing members to plant bamboo along the banks of River Khalaba.
His initiative aims to curb soil erosion, restore the river, mitigate massive deforestation, and combat pollution. He says bamboo helps in water purification.
He notes that changing weather patterns are increasing the spread of diseases, and extreme weather events are leading to more deaths and overwhelming healthcare systems. Climate change exacerbates the factors that trap people in poverty. Floods may sweep away urban slums, destroying homes and livelihoods.
Planting bamboo along riverbanks supports water filtration, stabilizes the soil, and increases water absorption, reducing the volume of runoff entering the river. This lessens the force of runoff, thereby controlling erosion.
“I’ve grown many bamboo seedlings, which I distribute to the community along the river so they can help with planting,” he said, adding that he is currently working with 120 community members who are actively involved in the project.
He says planting these trees on degraded land enhances water purification.
“Bamboo is a very important tree when it comes to environmental conservation. That is why I have planted them along the contours of my land and the river. This helps reduce water runoff and erosion, especially on sloping terrain,” he noted.
The retired chief also highlighted the release of waste from Bungoma town and surrounding communities into River Khalaba, posing a danger to both humans and aquatic life. River Khalaba, located just a few meters from Bungoma town, plays a pivotal role and therefore needs to be conserved. He emphasized the importance of placing a catchment system at the Khalaba Bridge to help sieve plastic and nylon waste, keeping the river clean.
“The dumping of plastic, nylon, and used baby diapers into water sources is very dangerous for the people using the water,” he warned.
Mr. Cheng’oli has implored the county government to introduce a waste separation strategy at the source to limit contamination.
Land degradation in the Khalaba area has severely affected the livelihoods of many people, especially those who rely on agriculture for income. This degradation is caused by erosion, overgrazing, and deforestation, as locals convert forest land for agricultural use.
Residents report that floods have destroyed their crops and reduced productivity, translating to lower profits and food shortages. Soil erosion has led to the loss of the most fertile topsoil layer, increasing poverty, social unrest, and the high cost of land restoration.
Christine Nabwile, a resident, shared her struggles:
“My crops were washed away by floods, and without a stable job, I couldn’t pay school fees for my seven children. They were frequently sent home,” she said.
During the dry season, wind erosion carries dust that causes respiratory problems and contributes to air pollution.
Those living near the river report that soil erosion not only threatens agriculture but also harms the environment and human health. It increases sedimentation in waterways, which reduces water flow and transports fertilizers and chemicals into the river, contaminating the water and making it unfit for irrigation and human consumption.
This contaminated water exposes residents to waterborne diseases, as the community relies on the river for water.
However, a year and a half into the bamboo project, residents have reported some improvement in the most recent season compared to previous years when crop productivity was extremely low.
“Last season was better than before. It wasn’t perfect, but I made some profit. Now that we’re beginning to see progress, we’ll keep on planting,” said Peter Wafula, a local farmer.
Robert Sawa, a senior natural resources scientist, noted that Bungoma County has 20% tree cover and over 14% forest cover. He added that the county has embarked on rehabilitating degraded sites.
He revealed that Bungoma has over 10 major permanent rivers and more than 30 dams spread across its sub-counties. However, the county faces challenges in conserving these dams due to encroachment on natural forests and riparian lands.
“Another challenge affecting almost all rivers is agricultural practices that have caused siltation in the dams,” he said, adding that when dams fill with silt, their water-holding capacity is compromised.
“To avoid siltation in our dams, we are encouraging farmers near the dams and rivers to embrace reforestation,” he added.
Sawa emphasized that with the ongoing global climate crisis, there is a need for collaboration between the government, non-governmental organizations, institutions, youth-led groups, and individuals to develop effective strategies to combat climate change.
In addition, he affirmed that the county government has initiated community sensitization campaigns to inform residents about the types of trees that should be planted near dams and rivers.
The expert also highlighted increased quarrying and sand mining along dams as another challenge affecting water conservation in Bungoma. He called on those promoting illegal practices to follow the established guidelines.
“Some quarries are left unrehabilitated, becoming health hazards. Water collects in them, creating mosquito breeding grounds and posing dangers to children who pass by the open pits,” he said.
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