Clarification on Public Access to EIA Reports

Our attention has been drawn to reports currently trending in a section of social media platforms alleging that NEMA, deleted website record showing it approved a Hotel Project in Shanzu Mombasa County.

The Authority would like to state that the proposed project’s EIA report was and is still available on our licensing portal where all Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Reports are uploaded and it has not been deleted any time. The report Ref. No. NEMA/EIA/PSR/6347, classified as a medium risk is available on the EIA licensing portal.

Notably, Project Reports (PR) are not uploaded directly on the NEMA website (www.nema.go.ke) unless under request. On the website, we normally upload study reports (High Risk Projects) that are published in Kenya Gazette and in two local newspapers of national circulation to enable the public to review the report and send their views or comments to the Director General NEMA to inform decision making within 30-days of the publication in accordance with the law.

Therefore, Project Reports unlike study reports can only be accessed from our Licensing portal (Link available on NEMA website Home page) but not on the website’s downloads.

Secondly, the licensing of the alteration and extension of the hotel as indicated in the project report did not approve the facility to build into the Indian Ocean, as reported in the some sections of the media.

The public is therefore advised to disregard the misleading reports on certain social media sites.

The Authority’s mandate is to ensure a clean, healthy and sustainable environment for all.

EVANS NYABUTO

CHIEF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

20TH AUGUST 2018