A severe health crisis is unfolding across Kenya as rivers become dangerously polluted with industrial effluent, medical waste, and chemical runoff, threatening communities, particularly women and children, who rely on these waterways for daily needs. The contamination is largely exacerbated by mercury use in illegal gold mining despite existing environmental laws and Kenya’s ratification of the Bamako Convention, a treaty designed to ban hazardous waste.

• Polluted rivers expose families to toxic substances, leading to a public health emergency.
• Irene Asuwa, an environmental justice expert, highlights direct threats to health and dignity, especially in rural areas.
• The use of mercury in artisanal gold mining in Sing’oto, Kakamega County, directly violates the Bamako Convention.
• Mercury exposure causes severe health issues, including neurological damage, developmental delays in children, and kidney problems.
• Phyllis Omido of the Center for Justice Governance and Environmental Action (CJGEA) emphasizes active citizenship and accountability.