World Wetlands Day 2009 -- Kenya
RECONCILE
REPORT ON RECONCILE PARTICIPATION ON THE WETLANDS DAY, Naivasha, Kenya
Naivasha Celebrates Wetlands Day
On 2nd February 2009, I attended and participated in a public meeting convened to celebrate the International Wetlands Day in Naivasha Town. The organisation of this meeting was done by Naivasha District CSO forum with Support from different stakeholder including WWF, Green Belt Movement KWS, Resource Conflict Institute (RECONCILE). The key Speaker at this function was the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Prof Wangare Maathai. This year’s theme is Upstream, Downstream: wetlands connect us all” this theme connects very well with Naivasha concerns where the people living at the catchments areas have been complaining that they don’t benefit from their conservation efforts upstream. It is however noted that the activities done upstream have huge effects downstream and the wetland should connect people in conservation efforts
The Specific objectives of the meeting were:
- To increase awareness among the residents of Lake Naivasha basin about environmental
- To increase awareness among the residents of Lake Naivasha basin about environmental
- To join other citizens of the world to celebrate the wetlands Day
The choice of Naivasha as a place for celebrating the wetlands day was strategic as Lake Naivasha is a Ramser site and has been posted in the Montreux records as an endangered wetland
The meeting was attended by a fairly small group; this really made Prof Wangare slightly annoyed as she did not hide her disappointment. Nevertheless, the day being a Monday people may have been working in their respective work stations. She noted that we need to re-strategise and organise the next meetings at the popular places like the market places or the markets. This would give more people chance to hear the messages being passed across.
World Wetlands Day provides us all with special opportunity every year to highlight the importance of the world’s wetlands to the planet’s health and to our own lives. This year’s theme focuses our attention on the many ways in which our local wetlands depend upon, and influence, the actions of others, and it helps to demonstrate our need for cooperation and collaboration with many other stakeholders in other parts of our geographical regions
Maurice Ouma Odhiambo
Nakuru, February 2009
Programme for Wetlands Day Celebrations
Municipal Park, Naivasha Town
2nd February 2009
Master of Ceremony James Kahora (IBECA)
9.00am – 10.00am Procession to start at Milimani Primary School, Matatu Stage, Market Center and finally Minicipal Park
10.00am – 11.30am Planting of Trees at the Municipal Park
11.30am – 12.00noon Entertainments
12.00noom – 1.30pm Speeches
- Kenya Wildlife services (KWS)
- World Wide Fund (WWF)
- Lake Naivasha Riparian Association
- Lake Naivasha Growers Group
- Local Community Representative
- Cllr of Naivasha Town
- Mayor of Naivasha Town
- Area Member fo Parliament
- Green Belt Movement Member Prof karanja Njoroge
- Guest Of Honour Prof Wangare Maathai
1.30 Vote of thanks by Andrew Ole Koisamou
Guests Leave at their own Pleasure
