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The Lifespan of Campaign Posters in Kenya

2 min read.

Over six months and counting after Kenya’s general election, the country is left chocking from political campaign materials left littering all over. In areas like Nairobi county, the old decolourized posters still remain plastered on the walls, electricity poles, and road signs to mention but a few.

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The Lifespan of Campaign Posters in Kenya
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According to the Environment Management Coordination Act, 2013,  after the official campaign period all candidates must clear campaign materials to prevent pollution. The act also says that those found guilty of polluting the environment with hazardous waste will pay a minimum of Sh1 million in fines or serve jail terms, or both.

A tour of the city shows that the fact that there is a law that stipulates the removal of campaign materials to curb pollution of the environment many candidates have not started or even not thinking of clearing the mess. However, candidates have the option of paying a fee to Environment Management Coordination to facilitate the clearance of the posters.

There is a need for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to urgently put mechanisms in place to ensure that election posters and materials are promptly and effectively removed from the environment and properly disposed of after electoral campaigns.

A Candidate’s poster hanging on a major road sign on Manyanja Road on your way to Donholm Estate in Nairobi.

A Candidate’s poster hanging on a major road sign on Manyanja Road on your way to Donholm Estate in Nairobi.

A road sign blocked by a tattered campaign poster in Jericho estate, Nairobi.

A road sign blocked by a tattered campaign poster in Jericho estate, Nairobi.

A campaign banner forms part of the wall structure of a local Mama Ntilie eatery in Juja town, Kiambu County.

A campaign banner forms part of the wall structure of a local Mama Ntilie eatery in Juja town, Kiambu County.

A campaign poster of the current Governor of Nairobi Johnstone Sakaja hanging on a streetlight pole in Donholm roadside market.

A campaign poster of the current Governor of Nairobi Johnstone Sakaja hanging on a streetlight pole in Donholm roadside market.

A roadside barrier littered with posters along Jogoo road including aspirants from the August 2022 elections.

A roadside barrier littered with posters along Jogoo road including aspirants from the August 2022 elections.

Campaigns posters hanging on light masts along Devki road in Ruiru town, Kiambu County.

Campaigns posters hanging on light masts along Devki Road in Ruiru town, Kiambu County.

A political poster hanging dangerously along a road in Kikuyu town, Kiambu county.

A political poster hanging dangerously along a road in Kikuyu town, Kiambu county.

Campaign posters on concrete electricity poles and roadside trees along Kenyatta road in Kiambu County.
Campaign posters on concrete electricity poles and roadside trees along Kenyatta road in Kiambu County.

Campaign posters on concrete electricity poles and roadside trees along Kenyatta road in Kiambu County.

A political poster on an electricity pole in Muthara area in Juja constituency.

A political poster on an electricity pole in Muthara area in Juja constituency.

A political poster on a tree along Kenyatta Avenue, in Nairobi Kenya.

A political poster on a tree along Kenyatta Avenue, in Nairobi Kenya.

Political posters plastered on the road barriers along Wood Avenue, in Kilimani area in Nairobi Kenya.

Political posters plastered on the road barriers along Wood Avenue, in Kilimani area in Nairobi Kenya.

A political banner hanging between two electric posts in South C estate, Nairobi County.

A political banner hanging between two electric posts in South C estate, Nairobi County.

Posters on the wall of buildings, perimeter walls, and electric poles along Jogoo road in the Nairobi Eastlands Area.

Posters on the wall of buildings, perimeter walls, and electric poles along Jogoo road in the Nairobi Eastlands Area.

This publication was funded/co-funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of The Elephant and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

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Jimmy Kitiro is a photo-journalist and videographer at The Elephant.

Photos

Visualising Plastics Use in Society

Every day, tons of plastics are scavenged from various water bodies around the world. These plastics cause immeasurable damage to fragile ecosystems both on land and at sea. Cleaning up micro-plastics from the oceans requires concerted efforts by stakeholders across the board, and time is ticking.

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Plastic waste dumped on the beach at Ras Ukowe, Manda Island on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast.

Plastic waste dumped on the beach at Ras Ukowe, Manda Island on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast.

Plastic waste floating on Lake Solai, Koibanan Island. This waste is due to littering by local tourists who throw them on the Island and they get washed away to the lake.

Plastic waste floating on Lake Solai, Koibanan Island. This waste is due to littering by local tourists who throw them on the Island and they get washed away to the lake.

In Kariobangi light industries, north of Nairobi, Gjenje Makers recycle tonnes of plastics on a daily basis into eco-friendly bricks that are widely used on driveways, road signs, sidewalks, and as alternative building material for low-cost housing.

A food seller hawks ready-made in between mountains of garbage to the people who scavenge garbage for a living in Dandora dump site.

A section of a manhole grills on Nairobi roads in the central business district traps trash. Smaller pieces of plastic such as cigarette butts, plastic food wrappers and water bottles.can get through all the way down to Nairobi river.

A section of a manhole grills on Nairobi roads in the central business district traps trash. Smaller pieces of plastic such as cigarette butts, plastic food wrappers and water bottles.can get through all the way down to Nairobi river.

According to Amani Mwikia an environmental Officer at NEMA, most of this plastic clogs drains and creates a problem in sewage systems, clogged drainge and stan gant pools.

According to Amani Mwikia an environmental Officer at NEMA, most of this plastic clogs drains and creates a problem in sewage systems, clogged drainge and stan gant pools.

A herd of cows foraging for food among plastyic wastes in Kitengela town. Most post-mortem of dead cows has often revealed the presence of plastic waste in their bodies and choking from palstic bags as the cause of death.

A growing illegal dumpsite on a local community grounds in Huruma Eldoret, consisting of plastic water bottles, orange peels and plastic bags.

A growing illegal dumpsite on a local community grounds in Huruma Eldoret, consisting of plastic water bottles, orange peels and plastic bags.

A growing illegal dumpsite on a local community grounds in Huruma Eldoret, consisting of plastic water bottles, orange peels and plastic bags.

A growing illegal dumpsite on a local community grounds in Huruma Eldoret, consisting of plastic water bottles, orange peels and plastic bags.

Asection of a collapsed fence littered with plastic waste along the Sosian river in Uasin Gishu County.

A section of the famous Sosiani river in Uasin Ngishu county, is chocking with plastic waste washed away by rains from the surrounding areas.

A section of the famous Sosiani river in Uasin Ngishu county, is chocking with plastic waste washed away by rains from the surrounding areas.

A kilometre away from Nakuru CBD is Gioto dumping site, a constact environmental nightmare, safety problem, and health hazard to local residents.

Residents of Gioto dumpsiteforage for plastics and wastes for selling to scrap metal dealers.

A kilometre away from Nakuru CBD is Gioto dumping site, a constact environmental nightmare, safety problem, and health hazard to local residents.

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Photos

Chakula Mashinani

Chakula Mashinani turns the gaze of our complex national culinary adaptation away from the cities and the urban, mostly educated elite, to the rural life and community.

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Chakula Mashinani
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Chakula Mashinani turns the gaze of our complex national culinary adaptation away from the cities and the urban, mostly educated elite, to the rural life and community.

A banana stockist readies his produce for sell to clients on the Meru Highway

A banana stockist readies his produce for sell to clients on the Meru Highway.

Buchey Dairy farming in Nanyuki sells milk and heifers. A heifer goes for about KSh.250,000.

A rooster stares through a mesh at a poultry farm in Ruiru.

A dairy cow at Suyian Ranch in Nanyuki

A dairy cow at Suyian Ranch in Nanyuki.

A farmer weeding his rows of kales at his farm in Kenol, Muranga County

A farmer weeding his rows of kales at his farm in Kenol, Muranga County.

Harvesting time.

A roadside seller with his stock in Kirigiti area, Kiambu county

A roadside seller with his stock in Kirigiti area, Kiambu county.

A tomato vendor inspects her stock at Thika market

A tomato vendor inspects her stock at Thika market.

Buchey Dairy farm in Nanyuki, famed for its milk and heifers.

Buchey Dairy farm in Nanyuki, famed for its milk and heifers.

Different variety of pepper on sale at Ngara produce Market, Nairobi

Different variety of pepper on sale at Ngara produce Market, Nairobi

Gathue Coffee Farmers members group sort coffee cherries before delivery to the factory

Gathue Coffee Farmers members group sort coffee cherries before delivery to the factory.

A section of ripening coffee cherries at a farm in Nyeri

A section of ripening coffee cherries at a farm in Nyeri.

Rows of Kales at a farm in Mukurweini.

Rows of Kales at a farm in Mukurweini.

A Maize plantation in Kabarak farm, Rift Valley

A Maize plantation in Kabarak farm, Rift Valley.

Dozens of cows at the Kiwawa Dairy production milking area

Dozens of cows at the Kiwawa Dairy production milking area.

An ewe and lamb at a sheep farm in Limuru, Kiambu County

An ewe and lamb at a sheep farm in Limuru, Kiambu County.

This article is part of The Elephant Food Edition Series done in collaboration with Route to Food Initiative (RTFI). Views expressed in the article are not necessarily those of the RTFI.

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Photos

Diani’s Changing Waters

A small fishing community’s account in Chale, south of Diani, indicates dwindling fish population in shallow waters.

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Diani’s Changing Waters
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With a swift movement, Bakari lifts himself onto the small communal fishing boat and is helped by Seif to pull the fishing basket out of the water. “This spot is better,” Bakari says as he empties the basket onto the floor of boat. A medium-sized snapper flaps around in the middle of other smaller fish. This is the third basket out of five that the four fishermen from Chale are retrieving this morning. The first two baskets came up with hardly any fish, just a handful of the rabbitfish and parrotfish that are common in shallow waters.

Catch of the day: a snapper, considered Grade A fish, caught together with rabbitfish and zebrafish which is considered Grade B and C fish, respectively (17 October 2021).

Catch of the day: a snapper, considered Grade A fish, caught together with rabbitfish and zebrafish which is considered Grade B and C fish, respectively (17 October 2021).

The generally low yield has been a regular dilemma facing this simple fishing community.  “I remember ten years ago, the water would be full of sardines. We could not believe our eyes. We would bring so many buckets full of sardines back to the village to dry, sell and use for cooking. These days, there are no sardines,” Seif says.

Fisherman Seif Hamadi (40 years) walks towards the communal fishing boat in Chale as other community members collect sea grass to use as bait (October 17, 2021)

Fisherman Seif Hamadi (40 years) walks towards the communal fishing boat in Chale as other community members collect sea grass to use as bait (October 17, 2021)

Kenya’s coastline covers 640 kilometres overlooking the Western Indian Ocean. It is a strategic lifeline for the country’s small fishing communities that reside along the coast and practice small-scale fishing for their livelihoods. In 2015, the World Bank estimated that around 27,000 people were employed by the fisheries sector, including 13,000 artisanal fishers. The sector further supports a much higher number of individuals who indirectly benefit from it, such as traders, and input suppliers.

Chale village, Seif’s home, is nestled in land planted with mango, baobab, papaya and other trees. Baboons roam under the trees and between the simple homes in search of food. From the village, home to approximately 2,000 inhabitants, it is a fifteen-minute walk to Chale Beach, where Seif teams up with Mohammed and Bakari on an early Sunday morning to go out on their daily fishing journey. The tide usually dictates what type of fishing they will be doing and it is a good day for basket fishing. Baskets are filled with sea grass and left overnight in different spots around the shallow waters off the beach. According to Seif, more than 50 fishermen operate from the communal land at Chale Beach.

Seif and Bakari pull out a basket to retrieve the catch (October 17, 2021).

Seif and Bakari pull out a basket to retrieve the catch (October 17, 2021).

Dripping with sweat from the heat of the rising morning sun, Seif explains that fish prices vary according to a grading system that is used in the market. Grades A to C cost between US$ 3.00 to USD 1.80 per kilogramme of fish, respectively. The higher the grade, the higher the selling price. On that particular day, with the exception of one snapper, all the fish caught in the shallow waters using the basket fishing method fall in the lower category of prices, generating a limited profit for the most hardworking individuals along the value chain.

The Kenyan government recognises the strategic value of the country’s marine life. Dubbed the Blue Economy, the government has prioritised the sector as a key component of its 2030 development agenda. In 2018, reports estimated that the annual economic value of goods and services in Kenya’s blue economy could be worth approximately US$4.4 billion, beating the tourism sector share by more than US$1.4 billion.

Rabbitfish weighed for sale at the small local communal market on Chale beach (October 16, 2021).

Rabbitfish weighed for sale at the small local communal market on Chale beach (October 16, 2021).

Artisanal fishing like that practiced in Chale makes up the majority of marine fisheries in Kenya. It is estimated that approximately 80 per cent of all marine products come from coastal waters and reefs, while 20 per cent is from offshore fishing. In 2016, the World Bank estimated that artisanal marine fisheries production stood at about 24,000 metric tonnes. Total fish production in Kenya (including inland capture, marine capture, and aquaculture) amounted to about 150,000 metric tonnes with a market value of about US$240,000 million. The contribution of the fisheries sector to the national economy is much larger when the full value chain is considered.

Bakari returns to the boat after a quick dive to drop a basket in a specific spot on the ocean floor (October 17, 2021).

Bakari returns to the boat after a quick dive to drop a basket in a specific spot on the ocean floor (October 17, 2021).

However, weak governance has led to overexploitation and degradation of near-shore fisheries. “Our government officials are corrupt. They allow Tanzanian fishermen to come into our waters and fish using nets that catch even small fish! There is no fish anymore for us to catch because of this corruption!” exclaims Seif.

Seif makes his way back to Chale village with a bucket of fish for him and his family (October 17, 2021).

Seif makes his way back to Chale village with a bucket of fish for him and his family (October 17, 2021).

His observations are confirmed by reports from national and international organisations. A 2018 report by the Kenya Fisheries and Maritime Institute states that most commercial species are on the decline in the Kenyan waters. A media report released in May 2021 describes how increased cheap imports from China, overfishing in shallow waters and the lack of sophisticated tools that would enable fishermen to venture into deep water fishing, are affecting small fishing communities along the Kenyan coast. Unemployment, the lack of alternative livelihoods and open access to shoreline fishing are further exacerbating the problem.

The hardship experienced by the Chale fishing community is pushing community members to find other means of generating income. “Our elders are selling parts of their ancestral lands because they need money. Those lands you see that are fenced are sold, mostly to rich politicians,” Seif explains. Chale is representative of similar neighbouring coastal communities.

One of the regular wholesale buyers chooses her catch at the local beach communal market in Chale (October 16, 2021).

One of the regular wholesale buyers chooses her catch at the local beach communal market in Chale (October 16, 2021).

Although the Kenyan government introduced plans to manage artisanal fishing in order to address the problem of dwindling fish stocks, compliance with such measures from small fishers remains limited as they depend on the sector for their livelihoods. In effect, while the management of fisheries has been decentralised to Beach Management Units within the coastal communities, and even though villages like Chale have a communal management structure, they do not always comply with the established management plans meant to preserve fish reserves and support livelihoods into the future. Being some of the poorest communities in Kenya, artisanal fishers in villages along the coast instead focus on daily subsistence.

Hundreds of thousands of lives are threatened by the changing waters of the Indian Ocean. But despite the grim reality, Seif and his fellow fishers will continue to do what they learned from their elders in order to put food on the table: go out and fish. 

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