Environmental experts have warned of the imminent extinction of Lake Magadi in the next five years due to human activity which has fastened siltation at the lake.
Lake Magadi is Kenya’s only source of soda ash.
In a report by the National Environment and Complaints Committee (NECC), continued human activity will put the country at risk of losing this precious lake.
Dr John Chumo, the secretary to the NECC said that he has been to all of the lake’s five catchment areas in Narok County where they observed heightened degradation activities through cultivation.
Some of the lake’s catchment areas include Nairagie-Enkare, Kormoto, Oloitip, Suswa and Oltapot.
“The upper catchment areas are 2,000 metres above sea level, making the lake vulnerable to siltation due to soil deposits carried by River Kisamis downwards,” Dr Chumo told the Standard.
By the committee’s assessment, 30 percent of the lake is already covered by silt.
Annually, Lake Magadi brings in Ksh5 billion for Kenyan in forex besides immensely supporting livelihoods in the area.
For the last 15 years, the lake has shrunk in size and in the next five years, it will be no more.
For the villagers, they have had to grapple with topographical changes as deep fissures are now forming in their land as a result of floodwaters.
“There is a huge crack where floodwater disappears underground. We never knew where the water ends up, only to learn that they flow all the way to Lake Magadi,” Ezekiel Leposo, a resident of Nairege-Enkare said.
Chumo called up the Ministry of Environment, Lands, Water, and Transport to come together and avert the disaster in waiting.
He also said that the Kenya Towers Agency and the private sector have a huge role to play in saving this lake.