NAIROBI, Kenya – The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has issued a stern directive to the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), demanding urgent action on the long-delayed restoration of the environment in Thange, Makueni County, following a 2015 oil spill.
In a letter, NEMA has given KPC 14 days to submit an updated report on the implementation of eight key conditions outlined in a 2021 order.
The authority further instructed KPC to develop and submit a detailed remediation and restoration plan with clear timelines.
“You are required to submit a comprehensive and concise remediation and restoration plan… within 14 days from the date of receipt of this order,” NEMA Director-General Mamo B. Mamo wrote.
The state corporation must also secure the contaminated site to prevent further environmental harm, conduct hydrological and geological surveys, and carry out laboratory testing of soil, water, and local biota for hydrocarbon contamination. The results are expected within 21 days.
NEMA says the assessment will inform both the clean-up strategy and compensation for affected residents.
The authority has also directed KPC to collaborate with relevant agencies including the Ministry of Health, the Water Resources Authority (WRA), and the Makueni County Government.
A final report detailing compliance with the directives and all restoration activities is to be submitted to the Senate Energy Committee within a month.
The oil spill, caused by a leak in KPC’s Mombasa-Nairobi pipeline in May 2015, has had devastating effects on the Thange River ecosystem and nearby communities.
Residents blame the contamination for a range of health issues including cancer and kidney failure, and say the polluted water and infertile land have severely disrupted agriculture and livelihoods.
Last month, the Senate Energy Committee, led by Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, visited the area and called for swift action to resolve the crisis.
