It's my duty, it's your duty

 Every person in Kenya is entitled to a clean and healthy environment and has the duty to safeguard and enhance the environment. I often see on TV residents in certain areas complaining of dumpsites being close to their homes, sewage burst obviously caused by blockage from probably plastics which have been disposed by the residents themselves and many other environmental hazards that they offload to the government.

We Kenyans tend to point fingers at others while we are the same people responsible for what has happened,   when it comes to thieves all Kenyans are the first to stone the culprit because they feel the loss of their property even though it’s not the same thief that probably stole it. A politician clears a forest that should be there and the residents are first to cheer. You are being mind played by politicians so that they can grab the resources to enrich themselves at the expense of your environment. We just sit and let them do it and does nothing History has taught us that failure to understand and appreciate the value of the nature has led to the downfall of civilization. We are here trying to fight for our rights and the main right here the core right here is our environment.  Why aren’t we fighting to preserve it? Everybody wants more, but what happens when you get more and floods hit and you lose all? What happens when you get more and the air is too toxic and water is contaminated that the more won’t help you at all? Have you sat down and thought of what the future holds when we have finished all our forests, we are drowning in garbage and the air is to toxic for use to breathe????

When you have done your part and contributed to environment conservation, look for more, because then you have a place to enjoy your more. Plant a tree, dump your waste properly and where you can try not to contribute to any kind of pollution because as I stated it is our environment not just my environment. Professor Wangari Mathai had her hair ripped of her head and she was whipped because she wanted me, you and our children to have clean air, good water and a sustainable place to live in. She did that for you and yet she doesn’t know you on a personal level. So it’s not about what’s going to help you alone, its for the betterment of humanity. This is my plea to all of you.

Author: Gladys Cheruiyot (Communication and Advocacy Officer-Scope Intervention)

Email: cheruiyotg@scopeintervention.org