Kenya: Rights Group Warns Against Importing Electricity From Ethiopia
By Henry Neondo
NAIROBI---A rights organization has appealed to Kenya to stop its planned move to purchase 400 megawatts of electricity from Ethiopia saying the power generation is killing the Lower Omo River, a lifeline for 100,000 tribal people.
The Lower Omo River in south west Ethiopia is home to eight different tribes whose population is about 200,000.
In a statement, the Survival International said Wednesday that the Gibe III dam, 200 kms upstream, will interrupt the river’s natural flow and deprive thousands of tribes people of their most valuable agricultural land by stopping the annual flood. Survival International’s Director Stephen Corry said, ‘Ethiopia’s government is destroying the Lower Omo Valley and the livelihoods of tens of thousands of indigenous people – all in the name of ‘development’. However the human cost cannot be ignored. Re-directing a water lifeline is irresponsible and reckless.’
One local person, speaking to a Survival researcher who recently visited the area, said, ‘I’ve never seen the river this low. During the dry season, like it is now, you can usually cross by foot, and water reaches your knees. Now I could cross without my feet getting wet.’
The Omo River downstream from the notorious Gibe III dam (whose power generation will supply Kenya) is now being diverted into a newly-dug irrigation canal, one of several which will feed a massively ambitious plantations scheme for state and private investors.
Last December, Peter Nyoike, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy disclosed of the plans by Kenya to import power from Ethiopia.
Making the announcement, Nyoike said Ethiopia would sell the power to Kenya at $0.07 per kilowatt hour and that Kenya's installed capacity is expected to rise to 3,868 MW from 1,394 MW at present.
These manmade canals are key to Ethiopia’s plantations plan, which is already having a hugely negative impact on UNESCO’s Lower Omo World Heritage site.
The government has revealed virtually nothing about the plantations program, but an official map obtained by Survival International shows the enormous scope of the project.
The flooding of the Omo River feeds the rich biodiversity of the region and ensures tribes such as the Bodi, Mursi and Dassanach can feed their cattle and produce beans and cereals in the fertile silt left behind.
There was a flood last year, but most Bodi and Mursi were not able to use it for cultivation because of the irrigation project. There will be no flood this year, as the dam reservoir starts to fill, nor in succeeding years. The people have been told they will be given food aid in compensation.
Indigenous communities are also suffering from violent human rights abuses, as plans are implemented forcibly to resettle those who stand in the way of the government’s plans, and to take away their cattle.
Kenya has set a target of 30,000 MW generation by 2030 and plans to achieve this by exploiting hydro, wind, geothermal, coal and nuclear energy.
Experts estimate that Ethiopia has a hydropower potential of around 45,000 MW.