NAKURU, Kenya Jul 6 – The government has announced plans to desilt Kenyatta Dam in Kuresoi, Nakuru County, as part of wider efforts to enhance irrigation and support alternative economic activities for communities living around the Mau Forest Complex.
Irrigation Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho said the project is part of the government’s broader strategy to restore and conserve the country’s largest water tower while improving livelihoods for residents in surrounding areas.
Speaking during the second edition of the Mau Conservation Marathon held at Baringo School in Gacharage, Kuresoi North Sub-County, Kimotho said the desilting project would expand irrigation opportunities and reduce overreliance on forest resources.
“This move will provide residents with sustainable livelihoods through agriculture away from the forest,” he said.
Kimotho added that the initiative would also strengthen food security as the government intensifies restoration efforts within the Mau Forest Complex.
The PS was accompanied by Kuresoi North MP Alfred Mutai, Environment Principal Secretary Dr. Festus Ngeno, Forestry Principal Secretary Gitonga Mugambi, and Kenya Forest Service Chief Conservator Alex Lemarkoko.
The leaders emphasized the importance of the Mau Forest Complex as a critical water tower whose environmental and economic benefits extend beyond Kenya’s borders.
Dr. Ngeno, who also serves as patron of the Mau restoration programme, said the Mau Conservation Marathon would become an annual event aimed at promoting environmental conservation while identifying and nurturing athletic talent from the region.
He noted that participants in the marathon came from counties including Nandi, Uasin Gishu, Laikipia, Bomet, Kericho, and Narok.
“The end goal of this marathon is to put the conservation effort on the global sporting map,” he said.
Ngeno added that Nakuru County was positioning itself as a new hub for athletics and conservation through initiatives such as the marathon.
Forestry PS Gitonga Mugambi and Kenya Forest Service Chief Conservator Alex Lemarkoko said pressure from forest destruction had significantly eased in recent years.
The two pledged continued support for programmes aimed at balancing environmental conservation with the economic needs of communities living near the forest.