Kapenguria residents have appealed to the government to come up with modalities of harvesting trees that have overgrown in age, arguing they were becoming a danger to people and property.
This follows a series of trees and branches falling, causing panic among people.
On Tuesday, a huge tree branch fell abruptly with one person escaping injury by a whisker, causing panic among workers and passersby at the county headquarters.
The fallen branch caused a power blackout for several hours, paralysing daily activities in some offices at the county headquarters.
The residents claimed that there were so many trees, though some monumental, that have outgrown their age, hence a threat to the environment.
Last year, a tree fell on its own near the Governor’s residence, destroying a car that had been parked near it.
Luckily, the owner was not inside the car hence he wasn’t injured but ended up counting losses.
Some trees, according to the natives, have been in existence during the colonial period. Bodaboda riders said they have started being afraid of parking under the trees within the area because of the frequent falling of branches even during calm weather.
“We know trees are important, but there should be legislation governing how many years a tree should stay, especially those within town settings. Sometimes the artificial environments being created by human development are weakening the trees’ root system hence concerned departments should provide guidelines,” Andrew Lipale, a resident, said.
Kapenguria Town, especially the section that hosts government offices, is full of very old trees that need harvesting because they have become too weak to support themselves, with residents saying a month barely ends without experiencing a fallen tree branch.
Lipale suggested that the overgrown trees be mapped and necessary action like cutting them down and planting new ones for environmental sustainability.
“It is not a must that a tree is left to die off before it is cut down. Human life is more important now that the town orientation has changed,” Lipale said.
“Prevention is better than cure, and that’s why trees that seem to pose danger should be identified and be cut down for safety,” he explained.
Residents have asked concerned authorities to come up with the kind of trees to be established or exist within town settings.
by KNA
