Okongo Constituency Councillor Efraim Shipindo has urged residents to refrain from climbing electricity poles or transmission lines as it can cause serious injuries or even death.

Shipindo’s plea follows an incident involving two young boys, aged 11 and 14, who suffered severe electrocution injuries after climbing power lines at Oshakati Shakatelenga village within the Okongo area.

The incident occurred on Wednesday while they were supposed to be tending to goats. They however began playing and climbed onto an electricity pole, resulting in the electrocution.

‘The two victims sustained significant injuries and are currently receiving treatment at Okongo State Hospital. Fortunately, their conditions are reported to be stable,’ Shipindo said.

The councillor said Northern Region Electricity Distributor (Nored) officials were called in to investigate the cause of the electric shock. Initial findings suggest that the incident was not due to technical faults, but rather suspected tampering with the electric ca
bles by the boys.

Shipindo emphasised the importance of parental guidance in educating children about the hazards of electricity to prevent such accidents.

Meanwhile Nored spokesperson, Simon Lukas, expressed concern over the incident and also said they want to encourage parents to assist them in educating children about the danger associated with electricity, as well as to caution them to stop playing with electrical infrastructure.

He said Nored will continue its public education and awareness initiatives, including visits to various schools in the region in order to educate, sensitise, and raise awareness among learners regarding the potential dangers of electricity.

Source: Namibia Press Agency

The Makueni County Environment Committee has adopted environmental bills that will improve environmental management and conservation efforts across the county.

Among the bills that have been adopted include the Makueni County Sustainable Forest Management Bill of 2023, the Solid Waste Management Bill of 2023, Makueni County Environment Bill of 2023, and the Makueni County Forestry and Landscape Restoration Plan (FOLAREP) (2023-2032).

The bills will be escalated to the County Executive Committee (CEC) chaired by the governor who will deliberate on the bills before they are taken to the Makueni County Assembly for enactment.

The adoption of the bills was done at a hotel in Makindu Sub County in a meeting chaired by the Chief Officer Dr. Geoffrey Muthoka on behalf of the Lands, Urban Planning, Environment, Mining and Natural Resources Executive Committee Member (ECM) Mr. Nicolas Nzioka.

‘As CEC you have a mandate to ensure the environment is conserved and proper utilization of resources sustainably,’ said D
r. Muthoka.

The above bills and plan have been developed through the funding from partners like World Resources Institute (WRI), Reconcile, ICRAF and UK PACT Kenya among others.

‘Once the bills are enacted by the Makueni County Assembly, they will give operational framework to environmental issues like solid waste management and collection, noise pollution, management of forests and environmental restoration efforts and sustainable utilization of county resources,’ said Makueni County National Environment and Management Authority (NEMA) Director Vincent Oloo Ochieng who is the secretary to the committee.

During the meeting, members said that the 10-year plan will help in the restoration of the ecologically and sensitive degraded lands of Makueni especially to ensure the county plants 335 trees million in accordance with the presidential directive of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.

The two-day event was funded by the World Resource Institute. The county assembly has also been sensitized about the bills
which have also undergone public participation.

Source: Kenya News Agency