World rivers day is celebrated globally on 24th September every year to create awareness and action to protect our rivers and water catchment.  In Kenya this day was observed in Kajiado County in Oloolua forest where cleanup of Kandisi River which is highly polluted with plastics.

This river has become dumping zone for chemical waste sewerage and all manner of hard rubbish. In particular Kandisi River, pollution level are very high as a result of rubbish and sewerage being deposited by people living in the nearby Kibera slums which threaten the wildlife in the Oloolua nature reserve that the Kenya wildlife experts are concerned about the health of wildlife in both Oloolua forest and the Nairobi national park downstream.

Kenyatta University students were invited by the Ngong Hills Mbagathi water Resource users Association to participate in the cleanup of the river near the Kenya Atomic energy center. Hundred and twenty students (120) from the school of Agriculture and environmental sciences joined other participant drawn from other universities including Strathmore University, Nairobi University, Cooperative University, the Kenya Air force Nearby primary Schools and the county government of Kajiado and many more stakeholders drawn from friends of Oloolua forest Conservation group and participated in the exercise .

The activity started at 8.ooa.m and ended at 2.00 p.m.  “This year’s celebration is the 18th edition with the main theme as: “the incredible natural, cultural and re-creational values of rivers, lakes and streams in our communities” and sub-theme ‘Rights of Rivers’ to give attention to the protection of rivers that are in healthy states while consciously striving to restore those that have been negatively impacted in the past. The students thanked the University for giving them an opportunity to join the rest of the participant to mark the event

A Photo of students during the cleanup activity of Ndaisi River on 24th September 2023.

 

 

A Photo of students  of school of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences briefing before the start of the  cleanup exercise of Ndaisi River on 24th September 2023

Acknowledgement

Kenyatta University.

Executive Dean School of Environmental Studies.

Office of the School Administrator.