In a crackdown led by officers from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the National Police Service, at least 17 business owners in Makueni County have been arrested for breaking environmental regulations.
In a statement released on Sunday, July 13, NEMA said that the arrests were made during a four-day enforcement across the towns of Wote, Tawa, Makindu, Kibwezi, and Kathonzweni.
The business proprietors are accused of running their establishments without carrying out mandatory environmental audits, failing to obtain Effluent Discharge Licenses (EDL), and using banned plastic bags.
"Environmental officers and police have arrested 17 proprietors for operating without required environmental audits, EDLs, and for using prohibited plastic bags," the statement read.NEMA confirmed that two of the suspects have already been charged at the Makueni Law Courts, while the rest are expected to appear in court in the coming days.
In March, two people were arrested in Mihang’o Estate, Embakasi East, for operating illegal quarries in Nairobi without environmental permits. The two also face charges for failing to control dust and air pollution caused by their mining operations.
Earlier, in February, NEMA arrested a building owner and contractor in Kileleshwa for continuing with construction work despite not having the required Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approvals.
They had also defied a stop order issued by the agency.
NEMA says such enforcement actions are meant to hold violators accountable and protect the environment from unchecked pollution and degradation.
