"Tusongeshe mto kidogo, siyo kubomoa manyumba!" - Kenyans react as President Ruto appoints Ferdinard Waititu to the Nairobi Rivers Commission

President William Ruto on Friday, December 2 appointed former Kiambu Governor Ferdinard Waititu as a member of the Nairobi Rivers Commission.

The nine-member commission will be chaired by Pamela A. Olet. Mumo Musuva will represent the Nairobi City County whereas Grace Senewa Mesopirr will represent the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.

Other members of the commission include Eva Muhia from Riverine Communities, Elizabeth Wathuti, Carlota Dal Lago, Elijah Biama, and Dr. Duncan Ojwang.

The commission will be required to reclaim the rivers of Nairobi as a spine to the city's blue and green infrastructure for a better urban environment and quality of life.

The commission will also be tasked with coordinating the activities of various players mandated to engage in the rehabilitation, protection, restoration, beautification, and sustainable development of the riverine basin within Nairobi City County.

Other tasks include monitoring compliance with the laws and regulations governing the environment of the basin and its catchment areas as well as developing codes of conduct and proposing modalities for enforcement in partnership with the relevant stakeholders.

The appointment of Waititu has attracted mixed reactions from Kenyans following his famous "move rivers instead of buildings on riparian land" remarks.

In August 2018, then-President Uhuru Kenyatta's government had vowed to crack down on buildings sitting on riparian land, something that Waititu was not so amused with.

In the presence of Ruto - who was the deputy president then - Waititu advised the government to change the course of rivers rather than flatten buildings constructed on riparian land.

"I cannot support demolition of buildings built on riparian reserve as some people are doing. Things should be looked into and if your house is near the river, you should be told to foot the cost of ‘relocating’ the river a little bit,” he said.

 “As someone who has a history about the city, having been born there and served as a deputy mayor; if some people support the demolitions we are witnessing, personally I don’t. If your house is next to a river, let them tell you to cater for the cost of diverting it slightly but not demolishing your building. Honestly speaking, demolishing the buildings is such a big loss to the owners”.

Kenyans reactions after Waititu's appointment