Simple research on murang'a county. Each section was conducted separately by different people and their names are indicated in front of each section.
MURANG’A COUNTY
INTRODUCTION
Murang’a County is one of the counties of Kenya’s former central province. Its largest town is Murang’a, its capital which was formerly known as Fort Hall in colonial times. It is inhabited mainly by and is considered the home of Kikuyu. The county has a population of 942,581(2009 census). It is vastly rich in biodiversity due to its favorable climate among other things.
1. ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS- By Dorine A Odhiambo
a. Soils- Murang’a County has rich volcanic soils emanating from volcanic activities. The rich volcanic soils is a very fertile farming soil thus Murang’a is famously known for the growing of maize,beans, sweet potatoes, arrow roots, pumpkin, bananas as food crops and tea, coffee as main cash crops.
b. Flora-Plant diversity found in an area. Due to Murang’a county bordering Aberdares forest there is dense bamboo tree coverage. Some of the hard wood trees present in Murang’a County include camphor, cedar, pod, hagenia among other trees. Other plant diversity are food crops and cash crops mentioned above.
c. Fauna- It is a habitat to very large herds of elephants, buffaloes, hyrax, leopard, rhinos, bongo antelope and domestic animals.
d. Hydrology- Murang’a County is made up of porous beds and disconformities within the volcanic rock systems which form important aquifers. This regulates water supply from wells and boreholes. The highest areas form the rain catchment areas and most rivers originate from here , example Aberdares range is where most rivers come from, this include; R. Mathioya, R. Kayahwe, R. Irati, R. Mururio etc.
e. Geology- Murang’a county consist of volcanic rocks of the Pleistocene age and basement system rock of archean type .volcanic rocks occupy the western part of the county bordering the Aberdares while rocks of the basement system are in eastern part. The terrain in the county is dissected thus creating the menace of landslide and gulley erosion.
Environmental issues in Murang’a County. By Gerance Mutwol
1. Deforestation caused by charcoal burners and illegal logging.
2. Water pollution caused by people bathing and washing on rivers.
3. Rivers siltation caused by people cultivating along the River banks.
4. Soil erosion mostly by schools which are built on top of hills and rain water run-off.
5. Domestic pollution caused by use of firewood for cooking and zero grazed animals.
6. Landslides and mudflows caused by cultivation on hilly slopes.
7. Atmospheric pollution caused by local industries in Murang’a Township.
8. Quarrying and sand harvesting by local community.
9. Inadequate water caused by inadequate rainfall in the region.
10. Poor waste disposal in Murang’a Township.
ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES By John P Musembi
1. To address deforestation, the Youth in Murang’a County planted 2 million indigenous trees in the area. This was done to increase forest cover and conserve the environment.
2. The issue of food security was addressed through promotion of growing traditional crops and early maturing varieties thus encouraging value addition. This was done by Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Anglican Church of Kenya and Catholic Churches.
3. The inadequacy of water was curbed through water harvesting for crop production, livestock and domestic use that was done by Ministry of Water, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Livestock Development, Anglican Church of Kenya and Catholic Diocese.
4. Due to quarrying and sand harvesting by local community, the county environmental committee addressed issues of environmental concern raised by the community that was done by Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and council of Environmental communities at all levels.
5. In reference to soil erosion, waste disposal, pollution(water and atmospheric air), landslides and siltation in rivers, education on importance of conservation measures, maintenance of old structures and laying new structures was curbed by Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Roads and Infrastructure.
6. Due to increased charcoal burning, the introduction of energy saving stoves and encouraging communities in establishment of nurseries to replace deforestation was conducted by Ministry of Environment and Natural Resource and Ministry of Agriculture.
CHALLENGES TO LANDSCAPE RESTORATION IN MURANGA COUNTY Maureen Nduta
Social challenges
1. Unwillingness by traditional owners to allow process of restoration; believe restoration may lower their rights in future over the lands.
2. Rising prices of food and energy that result in most people opting for wood fuel.
3. Growing population resulting in encroachment on water catchment areas for example around Mathioya and Murari rivers.
4. Drying of newly planted trees due to inadequate rainfall
Economic challenges
1. Insufficient funding for restoration process
2. Absence of an enabling environment for investment in the process
3. Limited capacity to plan, undertake and manage the process in terms of manpower and resources i.e. inadequacy in tree seedlings
4. Inadequate research on restoration process that involves study of opportunities and challenges that may exist making the process more efficient.
5. Insufficient political prioritization of restoration, the county government may not give required attention to the process of restoration.
PROPOSED APPROACHES TO ADDRESS LANDSCAPE DEGRADATION BY WILLYS GUNGA
1. People should be discouraged from cutting down trees as source of energy and instead appreciate use of electricity and natural gas e.g. methane from biogas.
2. Reafforestation and afforestation should be encouraged
3. Strict measures should be undertaken to reinforce the legislative policies to curb illegal logger by raising fines and jail terms.
4. People should be discouraged from bathing along rivers, washing along river banks to prevent water pollution.
5. Appropriate drainage systems should be adopted along rivers where there is cultivation in order to control river siltation.
6. Appropriate drainage system should be adopted down hills to prevent sweeping of top soil along hill slopes.
7. Alternative sources of fuel should be provided i.e natural gas, energy saving cookers and electricity to prevent domestic pollution.
8. Appropriate drainage system on hills, construction of terraces along hill slopes to control landslides.
9. Encourage formation of SACCOs of local industries that will help combat atmospheric pollution
10. Planting trees and grasses to compact or gather soil together thus controlling mudslides
11. Discourage cultivation on hill slopes to control landslides
12. Building of gabions along the gulley to control soil erosion.
REFFERENCES
www.assests.panda.org>workshopreport.
www.ir.library.ku.ac.ke>bitstrem
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