Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika fined Sh2 million over contempt of court
Nakuru Environment Court judge Anthony Ombwayo held the County and water bosses in contempt over orders issued in September last year that restrained the City County from discharging waste into the lake.
Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika and Nakuru Water Services Chief Executive Officer James Ng’ang’a have been fined Sh2 million for contempt of court over releasing toxic waste into Lake Nakuru.
Nakuru Environment Court judge Anthony Ombwayo held the county and water bosses in contempt over orders issued in September last year that restrained the City County from discharging waste into the lake.
This is after a non-governmental Organisation Baboon Project Kenya filed a case for the court to grant the contempt orders.
”Governor Susan Kihika, (County Government of Nakuru) be committed to prison for a term not exceeding 6 months for failing to comply with the order of this court made on 26th September 2024,” Baboon Project Kenya said in their application.
The petitioners further argued that the county government’s actions continued to harm wildlife and the environment.
The NGO claimed that the illegal disposal of industrial waste into the lake was severely damaging the Lake Nakuru National Park and endangering species like baboons, which drink from its waters.
The county government, the water and sanitation company, and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) were accused of neglecting their constitutional duties by permitting the unlawful discharge of toxic industrial waste into Lake Nakuru.
Further, they launched a digital signature collection campaign to hold the county accountable for the pollution, highlighting that the lake holds significant international conservation value as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site and a Ramsar site.
”We, the Baboon Project Kenya (BPK), are deeply concerned about the ongoing pollution of Lake Nakuru National Park due to sewerage discharge from the County Government of Nakuru. This park is not just a place of beauty and natural wonder, it is a sanctuary for critically endangered Rhinos and an important bird area. It holds high international conservation status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Ramsar site,” their online petition read in part.
”The pollution caused by sewage discharge threatens to irreversibly damage this unique ecosystem, endangering its rich biodiversity. The park’s critical role in conservation cannot be overstated – it serves as a haven for many species that cannot survive elsewhere,” they added.
In September last year, the court ordered the governor to initiate measures to restore the lake and clean up the waste dumped into it.
