The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) on Monday addressed reports of a deleted document on the organization's website - records which showed that the Weston Hotel that is partly owned by DP William Ruto had applied for extension and alteration of Dolphin Hotel allegedly encroaching on sea land.
In a statement seen by Kenyans.co.ke, the Authority's Chief Corporate Communications Manager Evans Nyabuto explained that the record was still available on NEMA's official website.
"Our attention has been drawn to reports currently trending on social media platforms alleging that NEMA, deleted website record showing it approved a Hotel Project in Shanzu Mombasa County.
"The Authority would like to state that the proposed project's EIA report was and still available on our licensing portal where all Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports are uploaded and it has not been deleted any time.
"The report Ref. No. NEMA/EIA/PSR/6347, classified as a medium risk is available on the EIA licensing portal," the statement read in part.
[caption caption="The site of the construction of Dolphin Hotel on Shanzu Beach"]
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The organization added that project reports (PR) were not uploaded directly on the NEMA website unless under request.
"On the website, we normally upload study reports (High Risk Projects) that are published in Kenya Gazette and in two local newspapers of national circulation to enable the public to review the report and send their views or comments to the Director-General NEMA to inform decision making within 30-days of the publication in accordance with the law," Nyabuto explained.
He clarified that project reports unlike study reports can only be accessed from their licensing portal but not on the website’s downloads.
"Secondly, the licensing of the altercation and extension of the hotel as indicated in the project report did not approve the facility to build into the Indican ocean, as reported in some sections of the media.
"The public is therefore advised to disregard the misleading reports on certain social media sites," he urged.
[caption caption="Statement by NEMA"]
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