Over 500 residents of Kabazi and Menengai West ward have opposed a plan by Geothermal Development Company-GDC to drill five wells in their farms.
The locals argue that the move is ill-advised as it will render them homeless as the project will see majority displaced.
They argue that the plan is being implemented without the involvement of the community in the area.
According to the residents, GDC went ahead to secretly submit EIA report to NEMA which published a notice on October 28 giving residents a month to submit their views.
“There has not been any public involvement in the whole process and that is why we are petitioning NEMA to stop this project,” said one of the locals who requested not to be named.
Addressing the media in the area over the weekend, the locals said they are now a worried lot and leaving in fear of their health as well as their farming activities which they say will be highly affected.
At the same time, they say they no confidence in the government’s compensation process if at all, they have to be moved from the area for the project to continue.
They are now calling on NEMA to halt the issuance of an okay letter towards the implementation of the project.
Kabazi MCA Dr Peter Mbae holds that the locals must be involved fully in any projects that touch on their lives.
“The locals have their rights which should be looked into before any project commences and that is why we are saying we should go back to the drawing board,” states the MCA.
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