Michuki Puts Corrupt Nema Staff on Notice
Daily Nation
15 June 2010
Nairobi
Officials at the national environment regulator have been told to stop corruption or face the sack.
Environment minister John Michuki and former House Speaker Francis ole Kaparo said corruption and laziness among officials had tainted the National Environment Management Authority's image.
"The authority must clean up its act to restore public confidence in it," said Mr Michuki at inauguration of a new Nema board on Tuesday.
A number of members of the old board were not reappointed. "There are one or two flies which are rotting away the hide and they must be stopped," Mr Michuki said.
The minister said the officials no longer had an excuse for non-performance as the ministry had been allocated Sh2.7 billion in this year's Budget for environmental conservation.
He directed Nema director general Dr Muusya Mwinzi to take stern measures against employees who politicised the authority's activities.
Mr Michuki told the police to arrest people growing vegetables near the Nairobi Dam and officials of a sewerage company in Ongata Rongai who, he said, were flouting environmental regulations.
Mr Kaparo, the new board chairman, said most Kenyans associated the environmental authority with corruption, rumour-mongering and inefficiency and warned inefficient workers that they would be kicked out.
Nema officials have been accused of corruption in the awarding of environmental assessment certificates to investors, with rampant claims that they demand bribes for the service.
The authority has also been on the spot for failure to curb construction on wetlands. Mr Kaparo urged Dr Mwinzi to ensure transparency in the issuing of environment assessment licences.
Article at: http://allafrica.com/stories/201006151293.html
