Mohammed Hersi . A hotelier passionate about Tourism & Governance in Africa

Where have all the bees gone ?

Baringo. Kilifi. Kwale ( Good part of Kinango ), Kilifi ( until Gov Ngilu stepped in to stop the madness ).

Cutting down of trees and charcoal trade has decimated most of the acacia trees and in the process bees die.

Use of dangerous pesticides and some of the pesticides have been banned in the west but it is still being allowed into Kenya and our authorities have chosen to remain silent.

I have raised this issue in the past and I am told that I am speaking from a privileged point , how will people survive? Cutting down a tree for charcoal is one off benefit and then what next?

Baringo is a good example, acacias have been felled for charcoal and the hives are now empty . I have pointed out in the past that bees are seriously endangered, when I see a bee I never kill it . I try to help it find it’s way out.

Without bees pollination will be a big challenge and food production will be greatly affected.

What is the solution?

1. We politic too much , day in day out
   Well where are technocrats? Where is Kenya Forest Service to stop the destruction of trees?
2. Where is the Pestcide control and Poisons Board – Kenya when dangerous pesticides find their way into Kenya. For many years we have been pleading that the dangerous Furudan should be banned since poachers use them to lace animal carcass to kill vultures who may fly above a dead elephant they’ve just killed exposing them . We didn’t get far.

The same poison is used by herders who lace it on carcass to poison lions and in turn Hyenas and vultures also die. ( Remember my piece on vultures, they are the natural cleansing departments by cleaning all the flesh from a carcass). Even anthrax infested carcass does not affect them which means they are doing us a favour to keep us safe but those dangerous chemicals are killing them .

3. We must make cooking gas dirty cheap and encourage more households to go that way. In the villages help Kenyans embrace bio gas . We have enough cow dung to make it happen. In many villages in India they use bio gas.

Finally let me address H.E The President State House Kenya . You rarely talk about environment. Sir remaining few months please make this a major topic. As a family you are also in farming and without trees we are done.

Your excellency please get the technocrats to report to work. They are missing in action as Kenya turns into a big dessert. Driving from Voi to Mombasa is nothing but charcoal charcoal and more charcoal.

To H.E William Samoei Ruto serving DP I never hear you talk about the environment. You want to hu be the next president , I need not lecture you matters environment since you hold a doctorate in that very discipline. Your bottom up model will bottom out if the environment is not addressed.

To Hon Raila Odinga You an elder and you also want to occupy the house on the hill. You made attempts in the past to save Mau. These days I dont hear you talk about environment. It may not sound a cool topic but it is a vital topic. In your model to revamp Kenya I am afraid without environment it will not fly.

I can write and write and write when it comes to matters environment.

We may blame climate change but we equally must change our ways of doing things and show some love to our God given environment.

Once it’s gone, once we are past the tipping point it will be over. Let us not get there.

As always yours truly is choosing to remain an optimist

Mohammed Hersi
Mombasa