Group sounds warning over deals for natural resources
By George Kebaso, July 5, 2025The East Africa Hub Director for Natural Justice Elizabeth Kariuki has criticised the increasing number of secretive deals signed between foreign companies and local communities in Kenya involving the country’s natural resources, calling them “ridiculous” and “contradictory.”
Speaking at a Nairobi hotel during the release of a new report on grassroots environmental resistance, Kariuki raised concerns over the lack of transparency and consultation in projects such as carbon trading, which have seen massive acres of land converted into forestland for offsetting emissions by global polluters.
“This whole idea of one person polluting and then buying credits from another doesn’t make sense,” said Kariuki. “It does not follow the principles of human rights or participatory consultation. In many cases, justice groups and even the communities themselves were unaware of the agreements.”
She spoke just two days after Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichillo voiced similar concerns at an international climate discussion held in Nairobi.
Kariuki criticised the global emphasis on achieving net zero emissions, arguing instead for a transition to “zero carbon”, where polluters reduce emissions at the source rather than offsetting them elsewhere.
“Net zero allows the polluter to keep polluting while buying credits from someone who isn’t. That’s a contradiction,” she said, adding that the language should not be climate finance, but reparations since real harm has often already been done.
She highlighted that most climate finance currently reaching developing nations comes in the form of debt, rather than compensation.
“The same countries causing the climate crisis are giving us loans to fix it, instead of compensating us for the damage. That’s not justice,” she added.
Climate litigation
The newly released report, spearheaded by Natural Justice – East Africa, highlights a significant rise in grassroots resistance across the country—from Turkana to Taita Taveta—with more communities now pursuing legal action to defend their rights and protect the environment.
“Most recently, we were in court over Sosian Energy in Nakuru, which is exploring geothermal energy. The site produces a bad stench and the community still lives nearby. There was no proper public participation,” Kariuki said.
The court ruled in favour of the community, ordering the company to return to the drawing board and conduct genuine public consultations. “We hope rulings like this can set precedents for how public participation must be handled,” she noted.
The report indicates that climate litigation is now active in nearly every region of Kenya—proof of a maturing climate justice movement that is no longer just resisting but also shaping national laws and policies.
Where funding is available, such as under the World Bank’s Financing Locally-Led Climate Action Program (FLLOCA), community engagement improves markedly.
“People aren’t apathetic. They’re ready to organise around clean energy, food security, and health—if the development model is just and participatory,” the report states.
It notes that climate justice intersects with issues such as maternal health, mental well-being, clean water access, and dignity in family life—especially for women and youth who are disproportionately affected.
Despite Kenya’s tech-savvy population, the report found that digital tools remain underutilised, representing a missed opportunity for data collection, early warning systems, and community storytelling.
The report criticises the limited media coverage of the work of climate defenders and weak political will, especially at the county level, where tokenism often replaces genuine public participation.
“Community voices are too often side-lined. But the movement continues—creative, determined, and deeply rooted in people’s daily struggles,” it reads.
“This report lays bare both the power and the precarity of Kenya’s climate justice movement. Real climate leadership is being forged in communities—by women, Indigenous Peoples, youth, and grassroots organizers—under immense pressure and with minimal support.”
“The path ahead requires bold collaboration, deeper solidarity, and full inclusion of those at the frontline. That is the future we are working towards.”