Topics of environmental conservation are incredibly important in today’s global dialogue, but if you are going to ‘talk the talk, you must walk the walk’.
On the week of July 15th, crews from KPLC mutilated trees across Nairobi that had the potential to interfere with power transmission lines particularly in neighborhoods such as Kilimani, Kileleshwa, and Lavington – neighborhoods renowned for their greenery. Crews butchered trees close to lines, even destroying ones not directly impacting its lines.
Over a week after they were chopped down, the trees that help Nairobi earn its nickname, ‘The Green City Under the Sun’ are still rotting on sidewalks and streets. Much of the debris is now sitting in storm drains and roadsides waiting to be , posing the risk that they will end up clogging the drains and worsening flooding, if they are not picked up and disposed of responsibly.
Nairobi residents in uproar over tree butchering
Residents and their representative associations are in uproar over the tree butchering, citing issues of loss of property value, inconvenience, and lack of communication from KPLC.
The Kenyan Wall Street spoke with Peter Kitavi, the Executive Director of the Kilimani Project Foundation who said, “[t]he indiscriminate cutting of their trees without proper consultation and consideration of the community’s needs is unacceptable.”
“Trees are an integral part of our urban ecosystem, providing not only aesthetic value but also crucial environmental benefits such as air purification, temperature regulation, and habitat for urban wildlife.”
Peter Kitavi (Executive Director, Kilimani Project Foundation)
The Kenyan Wall Street also spoke with a few building managers and home owners in Kileleshwa about the recent tree cutting and several confirmed that they had not been notified about the tree cutting and were not given a timeline for when the mess would be resolved.
One homeowner stressed the added cost they had to take on to clean up debris outside their compound ahead of an Open House because they planned to sell their house. This same homeowner stressed that one prospective buyer mentioned how the property did not feel the same without the lush greenery along the road.
Was notification given to residents?
KPLC has been proactive in recent years about keeping consumers informed about planned outages through its X (formerly Twitter) account @KenyaPower_Care. On the morning of July 17th, this account posted a notification stating that, “[t]he following areas are under scheduled maintenance today.” Accompanied with a photo that included the below areas:
“Part of Ngong Rd., China Centre, Coptic Hosp, Baptist Church, Kindaruma Rd, Royal Golf Club, Muchai Drive, Rose Ave, George Padmore Rd, Parts of Argwings Kodhek Rd & adjacent customers.”
This area was in fact the area that was largely impacted by the tree cuttings. However, this notification did not include anything about machete and power saw teams coming to mutilate the neighbourhoods greenery in a city where you must notify the county government before cutting a tree in your compound.
What does KPLC’s Sustainability Report say?
In the power company’s 2023 Annual Report, KPLC reiterates its commitment to the environment directly citing UN Sustainable Development Goals 13 (Climate Action) and 15 (Life on Land). On page 66 of the report, KPLC wrote:
“…the Government launched the National Tree Growing and Restoration Campaign with a target of planting 15 Billion trees by 2032. The campaign aims to reduce greenhouse emissions, stop deforestation, and restore degraded landscapes. In support of the campaign, the Company donated Shs.5 Million and participated in various tree-planting exercises across the country including Roysambu and Umoja in Nairobi County; Kitengela and Ngong in Kajiado County; and in Nakuru and Kakamega Counties. In total, over 400,000 tree saplings were planted by the Company during the year under review.”
KPLC Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30th June 2023
For a company that claims to care so deeply about the environment, what does the butchering of trees and little to no attempt to clean up and properly compost its debris say to both its customers and its investors?
The danger that trees present to Kenya’s power grid
Trees and greenery near power lines do in fact pose a threat to numerous variables involved in providing uninterrupted power supply to customers. Trees falling on lines is one of the leading causes of power outages in Kenya and it is not an abnormal practice for power companies to regularly trim and maintain trees near its lines.
However, this must be done with respect to residents, their properties, and their neighborhoods. One could argue that KPLC simply should have adequately notified residents and property owners of the planned tree trimming, engaged with stakeholders to ensure that property values were not negatively affected, and quickly cleaned up the mess they created.
KPLC’s Response
The Kenyan Wall Street has reached out to KPLC and is awaiting feedback. This article will be updated with KPLC’s response once it is received.
