NECSA Kenya Memorandum on the 400 KV Kenya-Tanzania Line
- Category: NECSA Memoranda
- Date 28-10-2023
From 25th-28th October 2023, NECSA Kenya invited its membership to a consultative forum in Kajiado, Kenya not far from the 400 KV Tanzania-Kenya Power Line to discuss and review the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Study Report for the Multinational Kenya-Tanzania Power Interconnection Project P-Z1-FAO-05. The meeting was facilitated by NECSA - Kenya and a memorandum was generated. The participants in the meeting included the following stakeholders: Kwale County Natural Resources Network (KCNRN), Forest Action Network, Africa Nature Organization, National Alliance of Community Forest Associations (NACOFA), Kericho United Tree Growers Association, Green Blue Foundation Africa, Federation of Women Lawyers of Kenya (FIDA), Cissta Kenya, Baringo WRUA Council, Kilifi Green Town Initiative, and the National Environment Civil Society Alliance of Kenya (NECSA Kenya).
Some of the comments generated are as below:
- Members recommend the development of a wayleave management plan.
- Members recommend the use of up-to-date data on electricity connection with properly cited sources. In n 2021, the World Bank estimated the access to electricity in Kenya to be 76% and 42% in Tanzania.
- The Singida-Isinya power line and its surrounding areas and assets like sub-stations should be declared "restricted areas" to curb vandalism
- More data on bird species, habitats, and migratory routes (IBA) is needed and the involvement of bird stakeholders/experts such as Nature Kenya and Bird Life International should have been sought in the preparation of this ESIA report
- The Singida-Isinya Project and other electricity projects should be integrated into the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) and spatial plans of Kajiado county.
- There should be a clear monitoring, evaluation and review plan that should consider matching frequencies. For instance, specify when a mid and end term evaluation ought to take place. Also due to the timelines needed for environmental project impacts to be realised, outcome indicators should stretch into trace surveys long after the project end.
For the full memorandum generated from this workshop, please access it here.