Kaptagat water-tower on verge of extinction

Elagerini dam did not die in a day. First to dwindle was Kaptagat forest. Elgerini River, the dam’s bloodlife followed suit.

We stood on many a dry cracks and fissures on the dam’s surface.The fractures on earth faded at the point our eyes could reach.

The huge dam like bowl which was once filled to the brim is now a near empty. The last of Elgerini is a muddy grazing field. A lazy trickle of Elgerini River seeps into hungry earth and even the grazing field fades by day. There is no dam anymore.

Kaptagat forest, a water tower which feeds Elgerini dam is under threat of desolation due to unprecedented, and systematic human destruction. The ecosystem has over years been water catchment for  Eldoret city.

The dwindling of the dams and rivers poses huge threat to surrounding communities who depend on the rivers for livelihood. Eldoret residents are already facing constant water rationing, both for domestic and industrial use, reveals Birgen Mutai, a resident.

When the Inklusive Voices team ventured into Kaptagat forest, they would attract curious stares of firewood harvesters, and illegal loggers. The team witnessed a sorry state of forest becoming desolation .When they appeared in vast, burnt and grey blank spaces, charcoal burners have a field day in the forest, and trees are declining geometrically.

Stanley Koech, a member of Kaptagat community recalls lucidly when birds of various songs and colors soared high above the once dense and lush Kapatgat forest. Turaco, cranes and horn bill especially, dominated the forest. Small ground mammals the black and white colobus monkey, duikers and squirrels prospered in Kaptagat.

Koech grew up seeing a ‘tribe’ of trees of their kind whenever he and his age mates strayed   into the forests’ peripheral’s to play hide and seek. The trees and lush vegetation cover comprised the podo trees, cedar, pine and giant oak trees.

As the Inklusive team mourned Katptagat, a resident Birgen Kinutai revealed that he has brought together community volunteers to grapple with the forest destruction. The group christened: Greater Kaptagat Green Association, (GreKGA); is comprised of a hundred members.

‘We promote the water tower through conservation based enterprises such as planting seedlings, eco-walks and ‘save Kaptagat marathons’ for economic empowerment’ Birgen says.

The gains by well meaning groups such GreKGA are dealt blow by malicious politicking’ Birgen claims.

We emerged from the forest, and our ears were filled by shriek of creature. Coming from nearby A hunter  was barbarically carrying upside down a small, badly wounded and bloodied animal with tuft of hair between the horns. Inklusive team learns the creature is Duiker.

The guide muffled a silent cry. Red-faced. A helpless expression of sadness, agony and indignation .Witnessing a sentient duiker die in his very eyes, seeing the last of Elgerini, and the world around him wilt is too much for him.

Kaptagat, a mother nature on whom the entire Eldoret rides on is breaking its back.