Meeting Notes and Site Visits: SCRA and the Environmental Complaints Committee (ECC)

On Saturday 27th February 2021, SCRA met with the Environmental Complaints Committee (ECC) to present its report on the blocking and encroachment of beach access roads and other illegal developments. SCRA was represented by Onesmus Macharia, George Jaramba, and Gerald Gambo, alongside a seven-member ECC team, a representative from the county commissioner's office, and representatives from Fisheries and the Kwale planning office.

At Mvureni, near the Fishermen's Restaurant, village elders and chiefs reported that land at local fish landing sites had been taken over, forcing construction onto the access road itself. NEMA had already ordered the restaurant and other structures on the access road to be converted to temporary structures and eventually removed, though no timeline had been set.

At the Mwaepe (KFI) beach access road, the team found part of the road had reportedly been encroached upon and was told a blocking restaurant would need to be removed; local fishermen and beach operators raised their concerns directly with the ECC.

At Bidi Badu, the ECC team found extensive informal construction along the beach and committed to remedial action after meeting with beach operators.

At a large construction site on a plot still under litigation, county and planning office representatives expressed surprise that building work was continuing despite a prior stop order.

Near the Kongo Mosque, the team inspected a restaurant encroaching on the access road and spoke with mosque representatives. A high wall was also found blocking access near the Mwachema river on the Tiwi side, reportedly cutting off the Kaya Tiwi sacred site from public access.

At Southern Palms, a mosque under construction was found to be blocking most of a beach access road, again reportedly due to adjacent land being taken over.

At stone quarrying sites in Tiwi, the ECC team observed environmental damage from quarrying, much of it on land belonging to absentee landowners, and raised concerns about noise and dust pollution.

The ECC committed to submitting a report and recommendations to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment within two weeks and asked SCRA to continue serving as its eyes and ears on the ground, in coordination with NEMA, the planning office, Kwale County Government, the Water Resources Authority, KWS, WWF, and the National Museums of Kenya.