Turning rivers’ riparian systems into  wetlands for sustainable conservation & ecosystems

Dagoretti District Land Owners Welfare Association (DDLOWA) officials say that they have requested the Kenyatta University (KU) research & development dept & the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) to conduct research that could help transform the Dagoretti area riparian lands into wetlands.

During the DDLOWA monthly meeting held on March 10th 2026 (the meetings are hosted every 2nd Tuesday of the month at the Dagoretti Empowerment Centre – – owned by DDLOWA & used for community meetings) Mr Gichere, DDLOWA vice chair, asserted that the association is keen to conserve the area’s habitat in eco-friendly means including in the age old cultivation of crops such as arrow roots, sweet potatoes & sugar cane in their areas just next to the riparian lands as opposed to other environment-unfriendly activities.

Cultivation of arrow roots & sweet potatoes among other traditional crops , ensures gentle & even distribution of water that feeds the crops and ensure slow & gradual percolation of water down to the water table in addition to stopping soil erosion and enhancing food security.

According to the officials who also include general chairman Mr Murenga; secretary General Mr Pius Njogu & Mr Francis Migwi, chair of Riruta Satellite ward & former KERRA official among others, the area residents support any govt development initiatives such as construction of sewer lines in the area including in the Riparian lands which according to them is 6 meters from the middle of the rivers and tributaries in the area.

The association has been concerned about authorities plans to possess part of their ancestral lands, especially along rivers in the area, as part of riparian land. They say that the Nairobi Rivers Commission’s June 2025 environmental & social impact report recommended rehabilitation of the riparian spaces which will result in hiving off of 30 meters to 60 meters of the residents’ land as riparian land.

The association has presented submissions in court regarding these among other issues which they feel interfere with their inalienable rights as the rightful owners of their ancestral lands in Dagoretti & Kangemi areas. . .

According to DDLOWA, the area residents’ forefathers settled in Dagoretti over 80 to 100 years ago as emigrants from different parts of central Kenya and have rightfully, like many other Kenyans in different parts of the country, owned the lands in which they have also settled over the years.

They explain that the ancestral lands have with time been shared by families’ members and hold great invaluable economic, social and sentimental value and that any loss of the land, including in riparian areas, will immensely violate their fundamental, inalienable rights and access to daily livelihoods.

According to the officials, any loss of any parcel of lands, (including in newly introduced riparian dimensions) affecting one or several family members will definitely affect the peace, order and welfare of all the other family members & the general communities.

The officials affirm that they and the people they represent believe in due processes of the law and governance that is within the constitutional ambit.

They explain that they shall continue presenting their concerns in courts through submissions and petitions.

Should violation of their inalienable rights continue, the officials explain, they may resort to petitioning the government to have their lands be reconstituted as part of the Kiambu County.

According to the officials, the wider Dagoretti constituency previously included current Dagoretti South & Dagoretti North (including Gatina) & Kangemi which was hived and moved to Westlands Constituency by the IEBC several years ago.

The wide Dagoretti was created through a 1969 presidential decree. The late H.E. Mzee Jomo Kenyatta in the decree hived off the constituency from the wider Kiambu County to create a constituency for late Dr Njoroge Mungai, who was his personal physician and who was elected as the first area MP, explain the DDLOWA officials….