NEMA Kenya Calls on African Environmental Agencies to Unite

The NEMA Director General, Dr. Mamo B. Mamo, EBS has called on regional environmental management agencies to collaborate to enhance management of the environment in the Continent.

The DG was speaking at high level Panel discussion in Tanzania during the National Environment Management Council (NEMC) 40 years commemorations at Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre in Dar es Salaam, on 29th May 2026. NEMA Chairman, Mr. Emilio Mugo also attended the event.

The Director General added that Africa as a regional faces similar environmental challenges of which if African environment management agencies work together can enhance their outputs as well as attract more funding on various areas including climate change mitigation.

The panel discussion themed, “Advancing Regional and Global Environmental governance: The Strategic Role of Authorities.” brought together Director Generals; Dr. Barirega Akankwasah (Uganda), Prof. Nana Ama Browne ( Ghana), Dr. Wilfred Kadewa ( Malawi), Dr. Immaculate Semesi (Tanzania) and Prof. Innocent Bariate Barikor (Nigeria).

Each of the Director Generals shared their experiences on issues affecting environmental management in their respective countries as well as how they have managed them.

Dr. Mamo further shared his experiences on environmental management in the Kenyan context where he indicated that Kenya has embedded environmental management in the Constitution 2010 in addition to the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA), 1999 among other statutory laws.
He stated that for environmental management to be successful, citizens must be involved. He highlighted Article 42 of the Constitution that gives the rights and responsibilities to citizens for a clean and healthy environment.

The DG further said that Kenya has made strides in environment protection due to inclusion of voluntary compliance and enforcement “carrot and stick” with public education and awareness taking a central role.