This stringent measure was taken due to the reduction in water levels at the major hydro power plants. The first casualty was the Masinga Dam which was closed due to water levels falling below recommended standard.
The government through the Ministry of Energy had announced an Electricity Management Programme that would have seen residents go two days in a week without electricity, but it was later added to three days.
The power rationing programme started on August 20, 2009 and will be in effect indefinitely. The low level of water at the major dams is attributed to the prolonged drought in Kenya due to the adverse environmental degradation.
Water Towers
The country is facing tough times with farmers recording major loses due to poor crop performance. This comes at the wake of a major political showdown between the government and politicians from the Rift Valley region over the Mau Forest.
The Sunday Nation (August 2, 2009) reported that politicians from the Rift Valley region had made demands to the government to compensate the settlers at the Mau before any evictions take place.
The Mau is one of the major water towers in Kenya and the government has made it clear that it should be vacated by those who have invaded it. The issue has seen major divisions emerge between close Orange Democratic Party allies.
A group led by Agriculture Minister William Ruto is against the evictions, while another Faction led by Prime Minister Raila Odinga is arguing for. The once close politicians seem to be on a collision course over the issue.
Drying up Rivers
Amidst the politicizing of the Mau Forest, the Water Resource Management Authority released a report on August 5, 2009 stating that many rivers in the Rift Valley had actually dried up owing to the prolonged drought.
According to Daily Nation (August 7, 2009) Mr. Simon Mwangi, a Technical Manager with the Water Resource Management Authority indicated the grim reality of the state of major rivers in the region, warning that Lake Naivasha was receding at an alarming rate.
Kenya is at the brink of a major environmental disaster if the necessary measures are not taken by the government to ensure that human activities do not interfere with the forest cover which is at less than two percent, far from the recommended 10 percent.
Kenya’s water towers are facing increased human interference and the government recently announced that it would ensure that all the forests in the country are protected from any form of encroachment.
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