WORLD WATER DAY
JOSEPH:(Song from Jose Chamelleone),we have a guest in our studio and the main theme is about the world water day celebration day. Let I welcome to introduce himself and elaborate more about world water day. Welcome in our studio.
COSMAS:Thank you Joseph. I am Cosmas Mutinda Nzilili and i am not new to you. I am also nicknamed Sikizana according to the nature of the work which I do, about the environmental conservation. Sikizana trust fight against environmental destruction. We also deal with child rights, youths, but the main objective is to conserve the environment.
JOSEPH: And before you proceed you have talked of the environmental conservation,, and also child rights. And where are you located?
COSMAS:Thank you. In Kibwezi District we are located at Nthongoni market. The office has a large title SIKIZANA TRUST FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
JOSEPH:And you have said that today we are going to talk about World Water Day. Because the tine is not on our side, let us g I direct to the main theme. But I can start the talk by asking you a question. What is World Water Day?
COSMAS:Thank you. I can flash back about the creation of the heaven and the earth.. God divided the earth to waters and the dry land. Water occupied the largest percentage. In the bible water has been mentioned repeatedly, it was and it is even used today during the baptism for the cleansing of sins. In the book of Exodus 17:1-6, the Israelites became thirsty and asked Moses to give out water in order to quench thirst. So water is basic. Therefore for the past seventeen years (17 Yrs) the United Nation supports this. The Untied Nation has a big committee in charge of the environment and development referred to as the United Nation conference on the Environment and Development, had a meeting in Brazil and saw the need to have World Water Day. This was to remind and campaign about the water preservation. They agreed to be celebrating World Water Day on 22nd March every year.
JOSEPH:So when did such an organization start?
COSMAS:It started in the year 1992 but the first day had to celebrated in the year 1993. It is 17 yrs gone but today we are celebrating the 17th year. Therefore all the members of the UN declared that even on their own countries, they will exercise the same. That is why we do so in our country Kenya. I can say that the main objective of the 2010 World Water Day celebration is all about clean and pure water and the problems which we face in relation to the opportunities of getting the water. So this is the main objective celebration of this year 2010.
JOSEPH:Cosmas, what is the importance of the World Water Day here at Nthongoni?
COSMAS:Thank you Joseph. Not Nthongoni alone but let us consider Kibwezi at large (with interruption from the presenter Kibwezi Makindu Makueni) but within the Kibwezi area we have plenty of water. We have miraculous rivers within Kibwezi which originates and deviate within no distance. Kibwezi has the other rivers which have been existing e.g. River Thange, River Kambu, River Mtito Andei, River Ngai Ndethya among others which originates from Kyulu Hills. Therefore World Water can be applied and celebrated as Kibwezi Water Day. Afterwards, we can think about whether we have clean water but normally the water still exists. In UN I say 40% of people from rural have access to water. Most of the water is fetched from rivers wells, ponds which we have. Therefore there is need of thinking about World Water Day because we can’t live or exist without water. If the audience/listeners can really remember about the past (The area referred to as Ngwata) people used to walk long distances looking for water. I can really remember when I was in the primary school, others used donkeys even people here at Nthongoni where the station is located, people from Kavilila and beyond going to Yumbuni to a man called Kitheka or to Mang’elete River. They could walk for the whole day looking for water. We can thank our Government for assistance and also
NGOs. Our Government has strained so much to make sure that the water has reached the people in the rural areas. For that reasons, as we celebrate we should remember that we have
evolved so much having been helped by our Government but how can we celebrate the day even if it has caught us unaware? First thing we should know that we should water which we have. We have a responsibility to assure that what we do is really helping to preserve water. If we have the water source, let it not be dirtfied, if it is not there, let it be drilled and follow the procedure, the little we have let it be preserved. As I say, people along Kyulu Hills/Ranges have a responsibility to preserve Kyulu as the water catchment area for our rivers. For this reason, we have a greater chance and it is challenge to people who neighbour Kyulu hills. The Kyulu is home of wild animals, it supplies many people with water because water is life. For that reason I can say that we have a responsibility and it is an important resource which we have. Today we are remembering the water which we have in boreholes and shallow wells will not exist any more because of the duties/activities will not favour or support water conservation.
JOSEPH:I’d like to ask you, you are saying that we are not saving water, how are we not preserving it? About the water in shallow wells and boreholes, how are we not saving it?
COSMAS:Thank you. First thing all water comes from river. Even the underground water comes from river. The river can dry up. We do forget that water source and catchment has to preserved. For example, if we get a drum and pipe it at bottom, and place it at high position, then take along pipe and take it to the shamba or garden, then remove water source which is roof, then the water which is falling on roof then to drum then to shamba or garden will be no more. This means that without the roof we can’t have water in the drum. There are some of activities which we do but are destructive, we don’t think of sight effects. Kyulu hills are known to have very high percentage of charcoal burning. There
being a lot of water in Kyulu hills, there is extreme charcoal burning. We have heard from professionals and read from books that one plant gives out more than 700 litres of water. This means that if we do cut one plant we loose more than 700 litres of water. This is one of destruction by people along Kyulu hills. I urge the resident to abstain from charcoal burning. It is
not wise to caught by the police and be charged for cutting down trees. We have to know that without plant cover and forest NO WATER.
JOSEPH:These are some of ways not preserving water. I am living witness. In late 1980s and early 1990s, there were many springs some being Kithima Yumbuni among others. They used to exist but now they have been exhausted. Even many boreholes have dried up today even though there are rains. Might these be happening because of our activities? Even some permanent rivers e.g. river Mtito-Andei has changed to be seasonal. Msima springs inclusive which supply water to Mombasa, has been noticed to lower its water level.
COSMAS:You have done good to mention Msima springs. When I was schooling, we visited Msima, those who managed to visit Msima springs, we read a poster which was written the water current at the spring are the rains of 15 years back. I think that Joseph, 15 yrs from now we are going back to1995. If it never rained in the year1995 we are expecting no water from Msima Springs. That water that rained in 1995 is the water which should out from the spring. If it fails to rain 1996/1997, even now this year we are expecting no water from Msima springs. We are being told that water which falls on the roofing is the water which accumulates and form piped water. So if we cannot preserve the water catchment which is the forests, where we do expect the rivers to get its water from? When we were in school, we were supplied with yams from Yumbuni or just from the nearest shambas or gardens. Even we fetched water from the nearest sources but to date, no wells which exist. The worry
is, due to charcoal burning and wood carving; we are destructing the forests (Kyulu) at a higher rate. I compare the wood carving lead the charcoal burning simply because the craftsmen are interested wit the trunk only. (Just imagine the indigenous plants are being destructed.) But the charcoal burner uses the whole plant/tree. Most f the people argue foolishly with an idea of possessing the plants but this is not the reality.
JOSEPH:Only the trunk which can be curved.
COSMAS:Yes the trunk. It is surprising because residents from Kyulu are not the real craftsmen but they collaborate with other people to
escort and transport the carving. I think that the road from access to Nthongoni, Yumbuni Metava right from Kithasyu are known to help to escort the wood carvings not bearing in mind tat the plants are not locally available to get the species.
JOSEPH:And the trees take so long to grow.
COSMAS:At least 20yrs, so I am saying that these are some of the destructive ways. There are others who don’t cut down the plants but they are more destructive, they are the poachers, who don’t even own a license.
JOSEPH:Poaching is illegal.
COSMAS:When they go for hunting, and they fail to kill any wild animal, they set bush fires to stimulate the shooting of the grass so as to trap the wild animals easily and kill them as they feed on the beautifully shooting grass. Therefore the fires contribute greatly on the destruction of the Kyulu hills. The last and the most problematic is…….
JOSEPH:Corruption.
COSMAS:Corruption. It so much worrying to see a person carrying wood carving on a motor bike and passes through the market with the carving being taller than himself. They take them to Mtito Andei and then transported. We have mostly heard from the Government that charcoal burning is prohibited. There is a very big problem with the charcoal burning. I urge the G government to take the initiative to stop it because we will celebrate World
Water Day for the next two to three years ad if we are not careful we fail to do it again because we will have exhausted water. I have told you that we wee going to Yumbuni.
JOSEPH:Yah.
COSMAS: where are we heading to? There is the probability that you will be heading to Mtito Andei to fetch water because if we relax, ad Kyulu be destructed, we will be problem,
JOSEPH:Let us pause a bit (Song). In our studios we still have a visitor, Cosmas Mutinda Nzilili, who is the director of the Sikizana trust. He is with us in our studio. For today we are not going to discuss about any other issue but about environmental conservation. Today we are discussing about the World Water day which is celebrated on 22nd every year since 1997. Up to date it is 17 years. We have said that there is the need to utilize
water well. We have also seen different ways of misusing water. We cannot misuse water which we have already fetched, but when we interfere with the sources, we have already misused. So far we have seen different ways of misusing water, but, what measures are we supposed to take? We usually complain when burning the charcoal. We claim to own the land and therefore we have the full responsibility of every thing inside it. Can this contribute to misuse of water? For example, if we cut trees and we are the residents or not, burn charcoal or curve sculptures………………………..
COSMAS:Joseph, rains are just like an aero plane, it cannot land anywhere but only at the air strip. Likewise, where there are forests or trees, there is plenty of rainfall. So, trees are the field of the heavy rains.
JOSEPH:Do you really mean that where there are no trees, there are no rains?
COSMAS: Of course. If you attempt to cut a tree and fail to replace are trying to destruct the rain field and you will suffer for no rain. I f you lack water, there is no food because the water is as the result of the rainfall. Where there is no rain there is no food.
COSMAS: No food?
JOSEPH: Yes, no food. As per your example, you have said that around Mtito Andei and Athi, they had no harvest.
Cosmas:Yes.
JOSEPH:If they had harvest, they had little than those people around Kyulu. As you have said, if we continue destroying Kyulu hill forest, we will come too regret. In 1980s places around and near K Kyulu was a contusive environment for crop growth. Crops like tomatoes, yams among others were grown. Although human activities are greatly contributing to the destruction of the Kyulu forest, i do regret. I am conscious that this is a very big mess, but to save the generation to come, we should make sure that we conserve to eliminate regrets.
COSMAS:Yes, but Joseph, let us conserve the fields for the rains and I propose this to our listeners, but most of the people neighbouring Kyulu, let us think of the activities we can do to stop the rains from falling. Yes, what you have said is true, we had the harvests but not as it was during the past few years.
This is because rains have reduced at a greater rate. Most of the plants we have in our forests are the shrubs. This cannot attract rainfall so much.
JOSEPH:Cosmas, what do you have to say at last?
COSMAS:What I can say is much thanks. I am happy about my councilor whom we have been meeting and discuss more about conservation. Thanks to him. The other thing is to the leaders. The town council has an opportunity for support, and says that I am challenged by our chairman Makueni. He told me to go and collect seedlings from him. This is one of the simplifications that our council is devoted to support free planting programme. So I thank the leaders who are supporting this together with the listeners at large. I am repeating this, that let the charcoal burners come and talk about conservation, we will advice them on the other method and means of earning life which is atlas better than burning the charcoal. We are called Sikizana
because we discuss our problems with our people until we come to agree and with a common goal. We don’t come up with the solutions we our selves alone, but we have to discuss it with our people. We should also remember that when God created the earth, he placed him in the Garden of Eden, God did not command us to destroy what was in the garden but we take care of it. Thank you very much and may God bless you for hosting me today.
JOSEPH:You are most welcome again and discuss more about water and many other more.(Signature tune)