ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY IMPLEMENTATION EFFECTS ON RIVER WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AND PREVENTION IN KENYA: A CASE OF NGONG RIVER, NAIROBI CITY COUNTY
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY IMPLEMENTATION EFFECTS ON RIVER WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AND PREVENTION IN KENYA: A CASE OF NGONG RIVER, NAIROBI CITY COUNTY
Gene Aila Odha - Student, Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Patrick Mbataru - Lecturer, Department of Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Water scarcity and rising demand for water have become important challenges in many regions of the world. Water pollution, population increase, urbanization, and insufficient water resource management are all contributing to the growing severity of the water crisis. The potential effects of water shortage on economical activity, food security, education, health, and the severity of climate change have piqued the public's interest. Drinking water and sanitation are part of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 for 2030. Water scarcity, on the other hand, remains difficult to quantify. Kenya, a rapidly growing country, is thought to have limited renewable freshwater resources (1,000 m3/capita/year). To help with the management and mitigation of water resources, a number of programs are put into place. Among them are water policies that ensure the protection of water catchment areas, a reduction in pollution, and easier access to sanitary facilities. One of the Nairobi city's rivers, the Ngong River, provides riparian communities with a wide range of crucial environmental services. Since the Ngong River is a very fragile ecosystem that can suffer if an appropriate management plan is not in place, it needs protection and special consideration. Over the past thirty years or so, the Ngong River has come under increasing and significant pressure from a variety of interrelated human activities, such as industrial pollution, eutrophication, and sedimentation. This research proposal focuses on how the application of environmental policies affects the prevention of pollution in the Ngong River and offers potential policy choices that can assist in remediating or reducing environmental degradation. The available Acts and policies will be examined, with a focus on those that particularly address water protection and conservation, and the difficulties that each required institution faces will be highlighted. A sample size of 100 respondents from various resource user groups and villages residing along the Sinai, Tetra Park, Katoto, and Lungalunga slums were used to collect data. The data was obtained using structured surveys, observations, and interviews. It was analyzed using SPSS windows and presented using tables, charts, and graphs. In addition to eleven key informant interviews with key leading government office representatives, non-governmental organizations, and long-term residents along the Ngong River, the household survey will include five Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) with community members. In order to identify policy gaps and potential for the protection of the river from pollution in the study region, the researcher will analyze the policy instruments review of the current policy and legislative framework. It is vital that institutional mandates between the national environmental management and Kenya Water and Sanitation Service be thoroughly clarified in order for these government organizations to accept and support the management plans for the area. Additionally, depending on the present pressure-state condition, the researcher will analyze the rules and regulations that are not currently in place and need to be updated, and will then recommend policy enforcement, stringent regulation, and guidelines to preserve this environment.
