Kenya’s scientists are delving into the mysteries of a powerful wind that shapes the climate across East Africa. Known as the Turkana Low-Level Jet (LLJ), this wind is more than just a meteorological curiosity—it’s a driving force behind both flooding and droughts and plays a key role in powering Africa’s largest wind farm.
Kenya’s ambition to be recognized as the cradle of humanity could be realized within the next decade. The American Journal of Human Genetics recently published a piece emphasizing the need for equitable and inclusive DNA and ancient DNA (aDNA) research in Africa.
Kenya’s government has raised alarms over the rampant land degradation across the country. Environment Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya disclosed that at least 91% of Kenya is undergoing some form of degradation due to unsustainable land use practices.
Mushrooms are more than just a culinary delight; they are vital agents of decomposition in ecosystems and serve as a crucial food source for numerous animals. Research scientists highlight the essential role mushrooms play in breaking down organic matter, recycling nutrients back into the soil, and maintaining ecological balance. “Apart from popping in the ecosystem, mushrooms are becoming regular guests on restaurant menus, in grocery stalls as more farmers continue to embrace them,” said Susan Kabacia, a Research Scientist specializing in Fungi taxonomy at the National Museums of Kenya (NMK). Kabacia reveals that NMK is actively collaborating with farmers across the country to popularize mushroom farming through training and the production of high-quality spawns (seeds). This initiative aims to boost local economies and provide sustainable agricultural practices. One such beneficiary of this initiative is Felister Wanjiru, a resident of Baba Dogo in Nairobi, who has mastered the art of growing Oyster and button mushrooms. Wanjiru’s venture into mushroom farming began out of necessity when her previous business shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I had bills to cater for, my child was young, and life in Nairobi revolved around money. I had to act quickly before I was grounded,” she said. Fast forward three years, and Wanjiru’s mushroom business has flourished, becoming a lucrative endeavor. After receiving training from seasoned mushroom farmers and the National Museums of Kenya, she started with spawns worth Sh 5,000. “I bought 10 bales of rice husks which I composted and mixed with mushroom spawns. I prepared 100 bags which produced at least 1 to 1.5 kg,” she said. With a kilo selling for Sh 600, Wanjiru earned approximately Sh 60,000 from her first harvest. Encouraged by this success, she expanded her production significantly. “At the moment, I prepare 1,500 to 2,000 bags, yielding at least 2,000 kilos. With a kilo going for Sh 600, I am in business,” she said. Today, Wanjiru earns at least Sh 400,000 a month and has become an employer, providing jobs for six people—three permanent and three casual workers. To achieve maximum production, Wanjiru ensures that her growing room is well-ventilated with controlled temperature and humidity. She grows two varieties of mushrooms: Oyster and button (white). Her farming process involves several meticulous phases. First, she and her employees prepare compost from rice husks, which are boiled to kill germs and other contaminants. The compost is then cooled down and turned every two to three days to allow it to rot and for nutrients to concentrate. After 14 days, the compost is complete when it turns dark brown and becomes pliable. It is then pasteurized to kill bacteria and weed seeds and to remove ammonia, making the substrate ready for the growth of mushroom mycelium. At the National Museums of Kenya, Kabacia notes the growing demand for mushrooms, driven by a health-conscious generation. “Mushrooms are medicinal and rich in nutrients,” she said. Mushrooms contain high amounts of selenium, vitamin D, and vitamin B6. Selenium can help prevent cell damage in our bodies, vitamin D helps with cell growth, and vitamin B6 aids in forming red blood cells. “All of these nutrients in mushrooms help to maintain a healthy immune system,” she added. More than 100 medicinal functions are produced by mushrooms and fungi, including antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antiallergic, immunomodulating, cardiovascular protector, anticholesterolemic, antiviral, antibacterial, antiparasitic, antifungal, detoxification, and hepatoprotective effects. As mushrooms continue to prove their worth both environmentally and economically, their popularity is set to soar, benefiting ecosystems and communities alike.
The delicate dance of nature’s intricate web often conceals the profound significance of certain components. One such component is the mushroom.
The fate of the Aberdare ecosystem, featuring majestic peaks, steep forested ravines, and open moorlands, will be determined by a special bench appointed by Chief Justice Martha Koome
Graham McKittrick of Team 5 has led his team to victory in the 35th edition of the Rhino Charge, held in Torosei, Kajiado County. Competing in the super modified vehicles category, Team 5 dethroned last year’s winners, Team 48 of Maxxis, by covering a distance of 31.9 kilometers and completing all 13 checkpoints. This victory marks their fifth win in the history of the Rhino Charge. “We are very happy after clinching our fifth win in the Rhino Charge Competition. We have competed in all 35 editions of Rhino Charge and the journey was started by our father,” McKittrick expressed. In a close competition, Bundu Fundi under Sean Avery secured second place with a distance of 31.2 kilometers. Team Huzi of Car number 33, led by Jeremy Holley, followed closely, registering a distance of 35.08 kilometers. The Rhino Charge is an annual event aimed at raising funds for the conservation of Kenya’s water towers, including the Aberdare Ecosystem, Mau Eburu Forest, and Kakamega Forest, among others. This year saw remarkable contributions, with Team AK 44 under Safaricom Chairman Adil Khawaja emerging as the highest contributor, raising Sh 175.1 million. Rhino Ark Chairman Peter Kinyua contributed Sh 29.7 million, securing the second position, while Stanley Kinyanjui of Magnate Ventures came third with a contribution of Sh 18.2 million. The total contributions this year amounted to a record-breaking Sh 325 million, surpassing last year’s Sh 173 million. The local community of Torosei also benefited, receiving Sh 10 million for community projects. In the new Half Charge category, Rishi Chauhan of Team Pumba Patrol emerged as the winner, with Luke Symonds of Batuk coming in second. Under the unmodified category, Gumtree 4×4 led by John Bowden took first place, recording a distance of 39.84 kilometers. Hog Charge Team, led by Mark Tilbury, and Foley Charger, under Nicholas Foley, both registered a distance of 41.96 kilometers, closely following Gumtree 4×4. Roving Rogues, led by Peter Francombe, emerged winners in another category with a distance of 31.14 kilometers. Team 57, led by James Boorman, came second with a distance of 37.84 kilometers, while Team AK 44 under Safaricom Chair Adil Khawaja secured third place, registering a distance of 40.51 kilometers. The Rhino Charge is a challenging annual off-road 4×4 competition where entrants must visit 13 guard posts while covering the shortest possible distance across difficult and trackless terrain, with speed not being a factor. Edited by Neville Ng’ambwa
Walking along the streets, roadsides, and farms, dodder—a slender, twining, thread-like plant with bright stems ranging from pale green to yellow or bright orange—can readily be seen against the foliage of host plants. This parasitic weed has been identified by forestry researchers as a significant threat to forest health.
Seven years ago, Kenya imposed a ban on the manufacturing and importation of plastic carrier bags. Tens of millions of plastic bags were handed out in supermarkets every year in Kenya, polluting the environment and clogging drainage systems, which contributed to floods during the rainy seasons. Unfortunately, PET plastic bottles have now emerged as the new ‘king of trash.’ According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), every day, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes. In Kenya, aside from polluting water bodies, PET plastic bottles are an eyesore in drainages, landfills, land, and other open grounds. UNEP adds that plastic production will increase by 40% in the next 10 years. “If we don’t do anything about the plastic soup, oceans will carry more plastic than fish (by weight) by 2050,” the United Nations warns, indicating that marine life will be irreparably destroyed. To address this global menace, James Muritu, an engineer from Kenol in Murang’a County, is producing fuel from plastic bottles through pyrolysis. Muritu, who spent over 20 years building software and hardware systems, uses locally assembled reactors to turn plastic into fuel. “The dream of producing fuel was born accidentally. Initially, I used to produce cabro paving blocks, and during the process, the plastic liquid caught fire,” Muritu said. The liquid catching fire ignited Muritu’s curiosity and got him interested in studying the chemical composition of plastic. “I learned plastics are made from hydrocarbons, and it was possible for us to produce fuel from them. Since then, I have never turned back,” he said. To produce fuel, Muritu and his partner Michael Nthenge constructed a reactor from locally available materials. He explained that he first received plastics from women, youths, and scrapyard dealers. “The large plastics are washed and shredded into small pieces before being put into a furnace, which is tightly closed to ensure it is free of oxygen,” he said. The materials are heated in two cycles determined by different temperatures, a process known as pyrolysis. Through pyrolysis, the plastic is heated to extremely high temperatures, between 300°C and 900°C, in the absence of oxygen. This causes it to break down into smaller molecules and transform into pyrolysis oil or gas. “We regulate temperatures to either come up with a petrol equivalent or a diesel equivalent. The first cycle produces heavy fuel or crude oil, and the second one refines the product,” he said. Muritu says pyrolysis is an ecologically friendly and cost-effective technology for recovering energy from waste plastic. It allows for the reuse of plastic waste as a source of energy for fuel production while also being environmentally friendly and cost-effective. “Our diesel fuel variant that’s currently sold as a diesel fuel blend has undergone rigorous tests by the Kenya Bureau of Standards and was issued a Quality Standard mark in December 2023,” he said. Since February, when production and commercialization started, Muritu has been producing 500 to 1,000 liters a day. “Our customers are farmers, boda boda riders, and a few lorry owners. It has not been easy to convince people to trust our fuel because initially, my vehicle used to stall regularly after using it,” he revealed. But after several years of research and fine-tuning the process, the quality has been ascertained, and motorists are getting value for their money. “Our prices are friendly, and those who are using the product say that it lasts longer than other fuels,” he said. Muritu revealed that, between July of last year and January of this year, they collected and used 5,770 kilograms of plastic, saving the planet from greenhouse gases.
A total of 181,000 people have vacated the riparian areas along the Nairobi rivers since the government issued Public Security orders. The Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of Government, Professor Kithure Kindiki, expressed his appreciation for the cooperation of 40,000 households who voluntarily complied with the Public Security (Vacation and Mandatory Evacuation) orders issued on May 2, 2024. These households have moved out of the riparian reserves along the Nairobi, Mathare, and Ngong Rivers, as well as other smaller tributaries that form part of the Nairobi Rivers Ecosystem. Their compliance is a significant step towards protecting these critical natural areas from illegal encroachment and mitigating the risks associated with flooding and environmental degradation. “Prohibition of residence and activities within the Nairobi Rivers riparian reserves and the removal of unlawful structures there from remains an irreversible national security project,” Kindiki said. He reiterated the move aims to create resilience for the City of Nairobi to withstand the shocks of climate change and mitigate the loss of lives, property, and livelihoods in the likely event of future torrential rains and consequential flooding. Last month, torrential rains and the consequential floods led to the deaths of more than 300 Kenyans and the massive destruction of property and livelihoods in many parts of the Country. In Nairobi, dozens of families tragically lost their lives in the dead of night when raging floodwaters swept through residential structures illegally built for rent within the riparian reserves of the Nairobi, Mathare, Ngong, and other tributaries that make up the Nairobi Rivers Ecosystem. Kindiki added the pain occasioned by the tragic loss of human life and destruction of family and business premises erected by unscrupulous persons for profit was more profound within the fragile Nairobi Rivers Ecosystem due to the obstruction, clogging, and the diversionary effect of the rivers on account of structures erected within the 30-metre riparian corridor protected in law. “Against this context, the Government on May 2, 2024, invoked the provisions of the law on preservation of public security and issued a 24-hour notice for all persons residing or carrying out any activities within the 30-meter riparian corridor to voluntarily relocate or otherwise face compulsory evacuation for their security and safety,” he said. The Cabinet Secretary added that besides saving human life from destructive stormwater, reclamation of the Nairobi Rivers riparian reserves will boost security for communities living around. “This will also eliminate the use of river banks for the manufacture, sale, and consumption of illicit, toxic and harmful alcoholic drinks, peddling of narcotic drugs, and destroy the hideouts of dangerous criminals who have been using structures erected on inaccessible riparian reserves to plan criminal activities and to retreat there after committing crimes,” said Kindiki. To prevent re-encroachment, Kindiki announced that the reclaimed riparian reserves are being secured through fencing and trenching. This initiative aims to establish clear boundaries and create physical barriers that will deter future illegal construction and ensure the protection and preservation of these vital natural areas. He added that the process of unclogging, draining, and rehabilitating the natural waterways of the rivers is scheduled to begin shortly. This comprehensive exercise will involve removing debris and blockages that impede the flow of water, improving drainage systems to prevent future flooding, and restoring the ecological health of the rivers. The goal is to enhance the overall resilience of the waterways, ensuring they can support local ecosystems and better withstand extreme weather events. The Cabinet Secretary said the riverine ecosystem trees will be planted and recreational facilities established on both sides of the riparian reserves to be accessed and used by members of the public for free. With the security officers accused of using brutal force, Kindiki said the relocation exercise has proceeded smoothly. “Security personnel are under strict instructions not to use violence or otherwise mistreat members of the public. Members of the public must be allowed to vacate structures or premises that are the subject to removal and to retrieve their belongings,” warned Kindiki. He insisted the Public Security (Vacation and Mandatory Evacuation) orders of May 2, 2024, were issued in the national interest and purely on consideration of public security and safety. “The Government will pursue to the end the national interest of the reclamation, rehabilitation, and regeneration of the Nairobi Rivers riparian reserves without any regard whatsoever for partisan, ethnic or other parochial interests,” he said.
