Environmental Experts are calling urgent interventions to save drying Meru Rivers.
Mr.Timothy Kiogora Murithi- an
Environment, Social and Climate Governance Specialist has made the call to reclaim the Rivers of Meru.
He pointed out that the rivers once roared with crystal waters from the slopes of Mt. Kenya and Nyambene ridges to lower Meru (Tharaka), sustaining the locals, animals, and farms.
“In the 1970s and early 1980s, they were perennial lifelines, flowing with abundance. Today, they are trails of rocks, whispering only scarcity. These rivers are not isolated streams; they are part of a living network of tributaries, wetlands, and springs that together form the ecological lifeblood of Meru. When the rivers dry, the wetlands vanish, the streams falter, and the entire system collapses,” stated Kiogora.
Accirding to the expert, this decline is being driven not only by human neglect and mismanagement but also by the mounting pressures of climate change.
He regreted that the once-glorious snowcaps of Mount Kenya are melting at an alarming rate, and the retreat of ice from Kirimaara and other peaks is stripping the region of its natural reservoirs.
That what was once a steady source of water feeding rivers, springs, and wetlands is now vanishing, leaving behind bare rock and silence.
“The disappearance of these glaciers have unleashed catastrophic consequences across Meru with farmlands in the upper regions withering, grasslands in the lower plains turning barren, and the delicate balance that sustained both livestock and crops already collapsing,” he said.
While noting that Climate change is not a distant phenomenon, as it is already reshaping landscapes, drying rivers, and threatening survival as a community, he challenged Ameru Leadershil to rise to the ocassion.
Kiogora called on to the the Njuri Ncheke, entrusted by ancestors with the sacred duty of protecting water sources and forests, to now rise to lead this call.
“Leadership is not silence; it is stewardship. Meru County leadership must stand shoulder to shoulder with Njuri Ncheke, mobilizing resources, enforcing responsibility, and spearheading reclamation efforts. Together, they must awaken the community to its obligation: to conserve, protect, and restore our rivers before they vanish completely,” stated Kiogora.
He at the same time called for a collective Responsibility, urging every household to treat water as sacred, every farmer to irrigate responsibly, and every youth and woman to be empowered as custodians of water.
Kiogora added that Forests must be protected, wetlands restored, and riverbanks rehabilitated.
At the same, he pointed out that accountability must be demanded from leaders, institutions, and individuals alike.
“Protecting rivers is not charity but a solemn obligation,” he said.
While noting that climate change is intensifying droughts, shortening rainy seasons, and destabilizing ecosystems, but communities are not powerless, Kiogora said there is need to mitigate by reducing deforestation, embracing renewable energy, and cutting wasteful water use.
He called for need to adapt by investing in water harvesting, drought-resistant crops, and sustainable irrigation methods, build resilience by restoring forests, protecting wetlands, and strengthening community-led conservation, citizen science, local knowledge, and cultural wisdom must be harnessed alongside modern science to create solutions that last.
Kiogora added that climate resilience is not built in offices, rather it is built in farms, homes, and villages where people act together.
“This is not a local crisis alone. It is a national and international challenge. We call upon the Government of Kenya, development partners, civil society organizations, and international allies to rise to this deadly challenge. Rivers are lifelines of economies, cultures, and ecosystems. Their loss is a global wound. Funding, expertise, and solidarity must be directed to Meru’s reclamation efforts.The Time to Act is Now,” he said.
He added, “Let every Ameru person take note of this fact: The time to conserve, protect, and restore this important heritage is now. Rivers, tributaries, streams, and wetlands are not just water but they are our heritage, our dignity, our future. If we rise together under Njuri Ncheke and Meru County leadership, supported by national and international partners, we can bring back the roar of Kuuru, Kathita, Mariara, Thingithu, Kithino, Iraru, and Mutonga. If we delay, we inherit only regret.”
Kiogora called on Njuri Ncheke to rise to the occasion and lead this sacred call.
He at the same time called on Meru County leadership to act, so are national and international partners.