Lamu Municipality Launches Mangrove Restoration Awareness Drive in Kiangwi Village
The Municipality of Lamu has launched a community sensitization and awareness program to support the Kiangwi Mangrove Restoration and Urban Greenery Project in Kiangwi Village, Basuba Ward.
The initiative, funded under the Kenya Urban Support Program II (KUSP II), aims to strengthen environmental conservation while supporting vulnerable forest communities.
The program was led by Municipal Manager Eng. Abdulswamad Ali was held in Kiangwi Village.
The area is home to the legally recognized marginalized communities of the Awer people and the Boni people, whose livelihoods depend heavily on the surrounding forest and mangrove ecosystems.
For generations, these forest-dwelling communities have relied on natural resources such as honey harvesting and small scale crab fishing for their survival. Their way of life remains closely connected to the health of the ecosystems around them.
However, increasing climate change impacts are threatening both their livelihoods and their longstanding cultural relationship with the forest environment.
Activities under the program include mangrove restoration along the Kiangwi beach, a village-wide clean-up campaign, and fumigation of homes to control harmful insects, pests, and rodents affecting households within the Boni and Awer communities.
The initiative is being implemented under the theme “Loving the Forgotten,” reflecting the municipality’s commitment to ensuring that even the most remote and vulnerable communities are included in development and climate resilience programs.
The program aims to actively involve at least 400 villagers in environmental conservation activities, particularly through participatory mangrove restoration and neighborhood clean-up efforts.
To strengthen community ownership and ensure sustainability of the restoration project, residents elected a nine-member Community Mangrove Restoration Committee.
The committee includes representatives from youth, women, elders, religious leaders, persons with disabilities, the business community, Community Forest Association representatives, and the local administration, including the sub-chief.
The committee will oversee the nurturing of planted mangrove seedlings and conduct monthly monitoring and evaluation visits to track the growth and survival of the restored mangrove areas.
The event was attended by Chief Officer for Lands Ahmed Ali (Loo), County Forest Police Commander Musa S. Wanyama, and Senior Forester Hatibu Mwashetani from the Lamu station.
Together with community members, they carried out a technical assessment of the restoration site.
During the assessment, two dominant mangrove species present in the area Mkoko and Mkandaa were identified to guide the restoration and planting strategy.
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For more information, contact the Communications Office at communication@lamu.go.ke
