In a major environmental win, the County Government of Nandi has successfully restored over 500 acres of critical wetlands, breathing life back into ecosystems that were on the brink of collapse due to human encroachment.

The announcement by County Director of Environment Dr. James Meli comes just days before the global World Wetlands Day celebrations on February 2. The restoration of the Kingwal and Kibirong wetlands is hailed as a model for county-led climate action.

Healing the Earth

"These wetlands were dying," Dr. Meli admitted during a site tour of the Kingwal swamp, home to the rare Sitatunga antelope. "People had turned them into farms and grazing fields. Today, the water levels have risen, the birds are back, and the rivers flowing from these swamps are cleaner than they have been in decades."

The restoration was not without conflict. It involved evicting illegal settlers and fencing off the riparian land. However, through the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) program, the county has managed to map, beacon, and fence these protected areas, turning potential conflict zones into community assets.

• Strategic Impact: The Kibirong wetland, spanning over 1,000 acres, is a vital water tower feeding the Yala and Nyando rivers. Its restoration is a lifeline for millions of people downstream who rely on these rivers for agriculture and domestic use.
• Future Targets: The county is not stopping at 500 acres. Dr. Meli revealed an ambitious plan to reclaim another 1,000 acres in the coming year. "We are reclaiming our future," he noted. "If we lose the wetlands, we lose the water. If we lose the water, we lose everything."

A Global Responsibility

As Kenya prepares to host the national World Wetlands Day celebrations in Isiolo, Nandi’s success story offers a blueprint. It demonstrates that with political will and community engagement, environmental degradation can be reversed.

This year’s theme, "Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge," resonates with the Nandi community, who have historically revered swamps as sacred grounds. By combining this traditional respect with modern conservation laws, Nandi County is proving that development and conservation can coexist.