Residents of Syiokimau estate in Machakos County have petitioned National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), not to approve the Kenya Airports Authority's second runway project unless their concerns were addressed.
The residents, led by Mavoko MP Patrick Makau, said though they fully support the project, pertinent issues of concern, which would arise as a result of construction and operationalization of the project in the region, have to be looked into.
“As a community, we note that the construction of the second runway at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport will have adverse impacts on the Syokimau community owing to the close proximity of the site to the area,” said Makau.
The residents, who were speaking at a public hearing on the proposed secoind runway project in Syiokimau on Wednesday, said the current proposed project's construction plan has abused environmental impact of the community, hence need to be revised for public interest.
They argued the plan was short term, and therefore proposed that KAA should come up with a plan which will ensure the project lasts for prosperity, 100 years.
The Syiokimau Residents Association's Chairman, Mwangie Musau, said if the project is implemented as KAA wants, there would be adverse impacts from noise and vibrations, storm water drainage and overflow impacts, traffic impacts and air pollution, which will adversely impact on the residents’ lives.
Musau said the project be moved one kilometer away from Syiokimau community's fence as opposed to proposed 500 meters, 11 meters earth embankment be constructed to act as a noise buffer, Japanese Cyprus tree be planted from the fence to the airport, and canalization of storm water that would be generated by the proposed 5.5 kilometers runway plus aprons, taxiways and associated facilities.
“We request NEMA not to approve the project and issue KAA with implementation license until these issues are addressed for interest of the Syokimau residents,” said Musau.
The chairman said National Environmental Management Authority should ensure that KAA takes into account the issues raised by the community as per their Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations.
The meeting was also attended by two other legislatures, Mary Emase (MP Teso South) and Emanuel Wangue (Emakholo MP), both who are Syiokimau residents, they said they would ensure the residents' concerns were addressed before the project takes off.