Environmentalists decry encroachment of riparian land at Mombasa's Tudor Creek

Environmentalists have decried the encroachment of riparian land along Mombasa's Tudor Creek, saying private developers have built well inside the legal buffer zone and are damaging the marine ecosystem.

Development economist Hamisi Mwaguya said encroachment by private developers had seen thousands of mangrove trees along the creek cut down. Kenya's constitution allows development only after 60 metres from the highest water mark, but he said private developers had put up buildings within 20 metres of it. “That means they have developed properties on riparian land. This affects the marine ecosystem here which has ripple effects,” said Mwaguya, who chairs the Business Registration Service.

He spoke after accompanying Costa Rica's ambassador to Kenya, Veronica Garcia, in planting mangroves at Manyani beach to mark Mazingira Day. The environmentalists said the encroachment interferes with fish breeding grounds, encourages the destruction of mangroves and threatens the livelihoods of thousands of fisher folk and their families.

They also said the private properties discharge raw sewage into the sea, risking the health and lives of those who swim at the Tudor and Manyani beaches, as well as fishers.

Mwaguya, who is eyeing the Mombasa senator seat, called on the Mombasa county government to work with the national government to guard against encroachment of the creek. He said conservation work should be a collaboration among all stakeholders, adding that the community has a role to play in conserving the mangroves and the marine ecosystem.

“We would like the community to conserve these mangroves because the communities around the creek benefit from the mangroves,” he said. “Fish breed in the mangroves and if you destroy the mangroves you are destroying the livelihoods of fisher folk.” He also cautioned the community against disposing of plastics in the sea.