A field trip by a team from KenGen Foundation to Murang’a County community bamboo growing project sites was conducted on 19 January in partnership with bamboo experts Green Pot Enterprises, and representatives from Water Resource Users Association and the local government. 

Ambrose Njagi, the Foundation’s Senior Fundraising Officer was accompanied by Ernest Nyamasyo, Elishibah Msengeti and Susan Maina, who were joined by their Green Pot Enterprises counterparts Ms. Caroline Kariuki and Kathomi Njeru for site selection and stakeholders mapping for the next phase of the project. The bamboo project is currently in Phase I.

During the trip, the project representatives had a chance to experience bamboo growing activities first hand, inorder to get a better understanding of the complexities, challenges, and opportunities related to the project. These included the importance of stakeholder engagements, farmers’ training sessions, and the partnership framework between all stakeholders that is being set up to ensure an effective business model to promote and market bamboo products locally and internationally. 

The environmental benefits of planting bamboo in Murang’a is quite significant for KenGen PLC as the major rivers that drive the company’s Mini-Hydro Electricity Power generation are rivers Mathioya, Maragua and Sabasaba which are characterized by degradation from increased sediment load in their waters.

Saba Saba River, specifically, is one of the largest contributors of siltation in the 7-Forks dams due to high level of encroachment by the community through farming by the riverbanks. Soils in these areas are highly susceptible to erosion leading to excessive siltation at the dams. Urgent measures for the catchment restoration are necessary if the sustainability of hydropower generation is to be ensured.

As a responsible business, KenGen PlC seeks to mainstream its environmental sustainability goals within all its operation areas as a part of its corporate strategy to enhance its core mandate of generating sustainable power for the nation.

In line with the goal of forging conservation synergies, KenGen PlC and KenGen Foundation in partnership with Murang’a County Government are implementing the 10 km riparian conservation project along Saba Saba River through growing of bamboo. The project will see the planting of 7,000 trees along the river’s bank for environmental and socio-economic benefits. The local community is involved through the local Water Resources Users Association.