The National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) has apprehended 13 proprietors in Kitui County after discovering several facilities operating without mandatory environmental licences.
In a statement by NEMA, the authority revealed that the arrests followed an intense crackdown targeting hotels, hospitals, petrol stations, and other businesses accused of breaching environmental regulations.
“NEMA Environmental inspectors have arrested 13 proprietors of facilities in Kitui County operating without requisite environmental licences from the Authority,” stated NEMA.
During the operation, NEMA officers assessed whether businesses were complying with environmental laws, particularly regulations governing wastewater treatment, waste disposal, and the safe discharge of industrial and commercial effluent into the environment.
NEMA defines illegal effluent discharge as the release of treated or untreated liquid waste, including industrial wastewater, sewage or process water, into natural water bodies or sewage systems.
The authority found the proprietors in violation of the Water Quality Regulations 2024, where there was an outright failure in wastewater management, with most facilities found discharging untreated effluent directly into the environment, a clear breach of these laws.
The Water Quality Regulations 2024 stipulate that facilities must treat their wastewater before releasing it into the environment and must also hold a valid Effluent Discharge Licence (EDL) from NEMA.
“The Water Quality Regulations 2024 provide that facilities should treat their wastewater before discharging to the environment and obtain an Effluent Discharge Licence,” NEMA statement added.
