Brewers in Nakuru have continually been polluting the park waters with illegal brews putting the lives of the aquatic animals and birds in the lake at risk.
Tests on one of the key rivers flowing to Lake Nakuru have confirmed the water is contaminated with chang'aa, an illicit brew illegally brewed in the slums around the town.
Lake Nakuru Senior Park warden Dickson Ritan confirmed the reports and was added that River Njoro, one of the feeders to the lake which is a habitat for thousands of flamingoes and other birds’ species, is heavily polluted from Barut Bridge and Rhonda area.
"We discovered the pollution one month ago after the level of the water in the rivers feeding the lake decreased. Toxins are many and even the water is not clean anymore. This kind of pollution will greatly affect several species of birds and wildlife at the park," Ritan charged.
Nakuru environment director Kiogora Muriithi said that some brewers in Rhonda and Barut have established some makeshift structures on the river banks from where they run this life-threatening business.
"They have choked River Njoro. They are using the river as a condenser and pouring the molasses in the river. Some people have set brewing dens near the river and they normally release the by-products into the river," said Muriithi.
Two suspects have so far been arrested in connection with the crime through the help of Kenya Wildlife Service and the county government.
Muriithi warned that offenders risk a fine of Sh. 500,000 or 24 months imprisonment, or both. He has also strongly condemned the act, terming it as a threat aquatic life and an act of putting t the lake and its birds and animals on the verge of extinction.