Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has asked leaders to stop politicizing the Nairobi Rivers cleaning and regeneration exercise.
Speaking on Monday, Kindiki said that cleaning of the Nairobi Rivers is a national security matter and an irreversible process.
He insisted that the cleaning is being done for the sake of the current and future generations.
“We urge that nobody should politicize or bring in other issues on the cleaning of Nairobi River. It is irreversible, it is a national security matter, and we are not turning back,” Kindiki said.
“We are doing this not for politics, we are doing this for the sake of the country and for the present and future generations.”
He spoke during a meeting with village elders, assistant chiefs, and chief at the Kenya School of Government in Lower Kabete, alongside President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua.
The Interior CS reiterated that it is not a project they are taking lightly and as the security sector, his ministry will ensure the Nairobi River corridor is protected.
Kindiki insisted that no one will be allowed to re-encroach in the cleared spaces because it poses a danger to public safety and security.
“Today, we are very proud we have cleared that corridor and we have given clear instructions to all agencies including National Police Service. Nobody will be allowed to re-encroach to those dangerous places because doing so will be detrimental to public safety and security,” he said.
“This project, as much as it is an environmental project it is also a national security project. We are not taking it lightly and for us in this space as security manager we will firmly and resolutely ensure the corridor is protected from encroachment as other agencies comes to regenerate the corridor, clean it so that our people can have a clean environment.”
He added that during the floods, many lives were lost especially from structures that were very close to the river and some on top of the rivers.
Kindiki noted that even as the country steps up the fight against climate change, Nairobi suffers the most pollution.
He said the Nairobi River and its entire ecosystem presents great hazard to the health of the people of Kenya, upstream and downstream.
