NEMA has given the public a 30-day notice for submission of comments in regards to the proposed inland container depot which will run along the inner boundary of Nairobi National Park.
Through a public notice on Wednesday, NEMA’s Director General Geoffrey Wahungu stated: “We have received a report on the above project pursuant to laid down regulations.”
He added: “Members of the public have up to April 28 to assist the Authority in the decision making the process for this project.”
Kenya Railways had proposed to construct a 4.153km access road linking the Nairobi Inland Container Depot to the Southern Bypass road along the inner boundary of the Nairobi National Park.
Their strategy indicated the road’s starting point to connect the west entrance of the ICD running through the inner boundary of the park and the end forming a partial pear-shaped interchange with the Southern bypass road.
[caption caption="NEMA’s Director General Geoffrey Wahungu"]
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Reports by the local media indicated that a stakeholder’s forum called on behalf of Kenya Railways by Environment Management Consultancy held at Kenya Wildlife Service March received disapproval from the public.
Participants are alleged to have raised issues on why the road was not planned when the SGR and Southern bypasses were being aligned.
They further questioned why the public consultation was taking place whereas the route the road is to take was already marked and clearance is ongoing.
Earlier on, Mombasa county officials led by Governor Hassan Joho raised concerns over what they termed as the national government’s plot to migrate “coastal jobs” upcountry over the construction of ICD.
[caption caption="President Uhururu Kenyatta during the launch the upgraded ICD at Embakasi"]
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However, officials maintained that dry ports such as the Nairobi facility were the way to go as the country looks to improve its doing business ranking.
