How protests cause water and air pollution in Nakuru
A tree along Kenyatta Avenue that was cut down during the protests on July 10, 2025.
It has now emerged that the protests witnessed in Nakuru in the last two weeks not only brought damage to property, but also to the environment.
During the protests people cut branches on the trees along Kenyatta Avenue with some uprooting them.
The burning tires and other materials also highlights the pollution of the environment that takes place during the protests.
These tires emit toxic gases, degrading air quality, contributing to smog, acid rain, and serious health issues
Moreover, the discarded bottles, food wrappers, damaged infrastructure, tear gas canisters, and spent cartridges stay behind to tell the tale of what ensued for the better part of the day.
Environmental activist, James Wakibia is perturbed by the fact that there are those who come to the protests with the aim of destroying the environment.
“I do not understand why someone has the need to cut down a tree, all in the name of protesting. What has that tree done to you?” he questions.
He says that he understands the fact that people have the right to assemble and picket however tampering with the environment is a big no!
“Whenever these tires are burnt, they emit pollutants that pollute the air. This goes ahead to tamper with the ozone layer and which then contributes to the adverse climate change that we are experiencing,” he notes.
Another environmentalist, Jackson Raini shares the same sentiments with Mr. Wakibia.
“Whenever the streets are left littered with plastics and other debris these materials eventually make their way to Lake Nakuru National Park and in turn pollutes the lake. This affects the animals that depend on this water,” he notes.
Gitau Thabanja, the Nakuru City Manager also takes great concern of the destruction of the environment that took place.
“When putting up the trees along Kenyatta Avenue we had the sole purpose of making them act as carbon sinks (carbon sinks, help reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂), a major greenhouse gas, and thus play a critical role in mitigating climate change.). In addition to these they were also to make the city look beautiful” he notes.
In a story done by Mtaa Wangu, it was discovered that the air quality in the areas of Giotto, PGH and NAWASSCO have high air pollution levels.
According to 2019 data from the county’s Department of Environment, the county produced more than 1.64 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which originated mostly from energy, transport, and waste. That translates to around 0.8 tons per person.