TITLE:
Effects of Human Activities on the Nile Basin: Lessons from Kenya
AUTHORS:
Nicholas Walter Otieno Ajwang
KEYWORDS:
Basin, Drainage, Towers, Nile
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.11 No.1,
January
11,
2023
ABSTRACT: Kenya has five major water towers arising from
indigenous montane forest areas. Lake Victoria drainage basin is of special
interest as nearly half of the country’s population lives in this basin. It is
endowed with abundant water and other natural resources. Destruction of water
towers and lack of proper harnessing of the other four water towers, places
more pressure on Lake Victoria drainage system, which produces water for
drinking, domestic, agricultural and industrial use, fisheries, biodiversity,
and hydropower, among others. The systematic destruction of the Mau Complex in particular has had
adverse effects in the nation’s weather pattern in general and the Nile (Lake
Victoria) basin in particular. The paper documents the specific human
activities on the Mau Complex and the
Lake Victoria drainage system and their overall effect on the Nile basin.
Research methods were in qualitative form. The qualitative study focused
on secondary data (archival sources). Data was analysed using thematic
analysis. Recommendation for policy is highlighted as it is hoped that the
results of the study will improve our understanding on the Nile Basin and
support policy-makers in designing better future policy.