Nyanturago Wetland in Kisii County, once a vast and thriving water catchment ecosystem, is now at the center of growing environmental concerns, land conflicts, and questions about the effectiveness of government-led restoration programs.
Recent environmental reports and testimonies from local residents depict a fragile wetland slowly disappearing under pressure from human activities, poor planning, and alleged mismanagement of conservation projects.
According to a 2021 study by the National Research Fund, Nyanturago Wetland has shrunk dramatically over the years.
The study indicates that the wetland reduced from approximately 72.85 hectares in 1984 to only 17.37 hectares, representing a loss of nearly 76 percent due to continued human encroachment and environmental degradation.
An academic study by the University of Nairobi further states that the wider Nyanturago water catchment area originally covered about 840 hectares, though a large portion has since been encroached upon by settlements, farming, brick making, grazing of animals, and other activities.
The wetland is considered an important ecological zone because of its role in water retention, flood control, biodiversity conservation, and environmental sustainability.
The degradation of the wetland occurs even as the government continues implementing national restoration initiatives under the Presidential Forestry and Rangeland Restoration Programme, popularly known as the Jaza Miti program.
President William Ruto previously directed the protection, rehabilitation, and gazettement of wetlands across the country as part of the broader 15 Billion Tree Growing Program aimed at restoring degraded landscapes and securing water catchment areas.
Activities ongoing at the wetland include growing of eucalyptus and making of bricks.
During the launch of the program, Ruto said: “I will shortly be launching the #JazaMiti application, one that every Kenyan or institution will use to document their tree planting. The app will help to monitor, over time, the growth of trees.”
“We would like to monitor the growth of the trees in the journey to reach the 15 billion target in 10 years. I have instructed the Cabinet Secretary for Environment to make Mission 15B #JazaMiti campaign a truly tree growing campaign.”
Since 2022, several government-led restoration exercises have been conducted at Nyanturago Wetland involving different ministries and state departments.
On 18 June 2024, a high-level tree planting exercise was led at the wetland by officials from the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy.
Later, on 18 September 2024, another large-scale tree planting exercise was conducted at Nyanturago Wetland under the leadership of Hezron Nyamberi from the State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications.
On 17 April 2025, State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action Principal Secretary Ann Wang’ombe also led a tree planting exercise at the wetland as part of the ongoing restoration efforts.
However, concerns are now emerging over the impact of the restoration program at Nyanturago.
Some of the few water-friendly trees planted in recent months are struggling to grow.
A senior government official who requested anonymity questioned the huge amounts of public funds allegedly spent on tree-planting activities within the wetland despite little visible success on the ground.
According to the source, more than 7,000 trees have reportedly been planted in the wetland since the program began in 2022, but only about 50 are said to have survived.
The official attributed the poor survival rate to increased human activities, weak protection mechanisms, and continued encroachment into the wetland.
“The wetland is no longer retaining water throughout the year the way it used to,” the source said, warning that continued degradation threatens the ecosystem’s natural function.
Residents living around the wetland echoed similar concerns, blaming failed conservation efforts on lack of planning, inadequate security, and failure by authorities to involve the community in decision-making.
Moses Omwenga, a resident who has lived near the wetland for many years, said the area used to have plenty of water.
“When we were young, this place had too much water. If you stepped there, you could easily sink,” he said.
He blamed the destruction on illegal activities, livestock grazing, brick making, and planting of eucalyptus trees, also known as blue gum trees, which many locals believe dry up water sources.
Moses also claimed that youths hired to guard the planted trees worked for six months without being paid.
He said after the guards left, some people removed fences at night while others brought livestock into the wetland, destroying young trees.
Paul Abuga, one of the youths who worked as a guard, said they were promised salaries many times but were never paid.
“We waited for six months being told the money would come, but nothing happened, so we decided to leave the job,” he said.
Residents also claimed that some of the planted trees dried up because the wrong tree species were planted in the wetland.
However, data from the Kenya Forest Service indicates that the species planted in the wetland were capable of surviving in such conditions, raising a contradiction between technical assessments and the experiences shared by residents.
Jane Nyakerario said many seedlings could not survive because they were not suitable for wet areas.
“The trees they planted here cannot survive in too much water. Most of them dried up,” she said.
During one of the restoration exercises, Edward Kisiang’ani urged residents to avoid planting eucalyptus trees in wetlands and water catchment areas.
PS Kisiang’ani warned that eucalyptus trees are high-water consumers and encouraged the community to plant water-friendly and indigenous tree varieties instead.
The wetland is also facing land ownership disputes. Some people living around the area claim they bought the land legally and have title deeds, while others insist the wetland is government land.
Because of this, there have been disagreements between conservation efforts and people using the land for farming, grazing, and brick making.
Residents also spoke about the collapse of the old Nyanturago forest office, which they say was started in the 1980s and played an important role in protecting the wetland.
Wetland protection initiatives were more visible in the 1980s.
According to residents, forest officers and watchmen used to work and sleep there while protecting the forest and tree nurseries.
However, after some officers retired, they were never replaced and the office later became inactive and abandoned.
Residents believe the absence of forest officers and guards has greatly contributed to the destruction currently being witnessed in the wetland.
William Gichana said no conservation project can succeed without proper security.
“If you plant something and leave it without anyone protecting it, it will be destroyed,” he said.
He added that after guards left because of unpaid salaries, people started bringing livestock back into the wetland.
Residents also claimed that drainage channels have been dug in the wetland to direct water into nearby rivers, reducing the area’s ability to retain water after rainfall.
Amos Mogaka said the wetland once had natural springs and indigenous trees before many trees were cut down and replaced with blue gum trees.
“People cut trees at night and leave with them. If the government plants trees, they should also provide security,” he said.
He also claimed that some of the trees planted by the government were later cut down again.
Meanwhile, Thomas Obare, a member of Kisii County Assembly for Bassi Boitangare Ward which neighbors the wetland, has continued urging residents living near the wetland to support conservation efforts by planting trees and protecting the ecosystem, even as the national government proposes the relocation of Kisii Prison to the wetland.
Residents are now calling on the government to fully involve the local community in future projects, employ and pay guards on time, and revive the old forest office to improve protection of the wetland.
They are also asking authorities to plant indigenous trees suitable for wetlands instead of eucalyptus and other tree species that dry up easily or consume too much water.
The community further recommended proper fencing of the wetland, strong day and night security, and clear boundary marking to reduce land conflicts and illegal activities.
Many residents said they support efforts to restore Nyanturago Wetland but believe the conservation work can only succeed if the government works closely with the community and addresses the long-standing land disputes surrounding the area.
As Nyanturago Wetland continues to shrink, residents fear that if urgent action is not taken, the important water catchment area may disappear completely.
Today, large sections of the wetland no longer resemble a protected ecosystem.
What once held thick vegetation, indigenous trees, and permanent water sources has now turned into a vast open plain field with little vegetation and no visible forest cover.
The area currently remains largely bare, with no major housing developments, churches, or learning institutions occupying the wetland, but residents say the continuous destruction, uncontrolled human activities, grazing, brick making, drainage, and tree cutting have left the ecosystem exposed and vulnerable.
Locals warn that unless immediate restoration and protection measures are taken, Nyanturago Wetland risks losing its ecological value entirely, threatening water sources, biodiversity, and the environmental future of the surrounding communities.
The wetland serves its purpose during rainy seasons.