As I walk towards dusty, crowded and densely populated streets of Kayole estate in Nairobi, the polluted environment full of littered plastic bags, swamps loaded with all kinds of waste ranging from human to industrial, lead me to closely built flats which serve as homes to people here. Life seems slow here. Women murmur in low tones, some high on alcohol.  Children play along trenches with dark green water.  Makeshift sheds where groceries, tea leaves, coffee, powder soaps, sweets, matchboxes and roasted maize are sold are scattered at every street.

I am set to meet Sifu Sitati, a middle aged father of three, living with disability. Sitati, a member of Embakasi Handicapped Empowerment Group is aware of the reality of climate change.

“I know what climate change is, and as a person with disability, I get affected more because I cannot operate the way other normal people do,” he says.

The 40 member group in which Sitati participates makes beads and baskets from recycled plastic bags.

“We realized that waste plastic bags were such a nuisance and decided to make something out of them, with a view of earning a living and taking care of our environment. We also make assorted products from banana fibers and used tires,” says Jane Muthoni, a member of the group.

A bracelet, key holder goes for averagely Kshs 80 (about 1USD) and a bag made of recycled plastic bag for Kshs 700 (about USD8).This helps the group save in a kitty that helps them address various needs.

Brikets made from charcoal dust and clay soil, are part of the energy saving cooking materials they make too. These are sold to other people at very subsidized rates.

“People still don’t realize the harm they do to their surroundings. I hope the proposed climate change bill will address this,” Sitati complains.

The road map to climate change legislation has many stakeholders on board. According to Benson Ochieng, Environment lawyer and Director, Institute of Law and Environmental governance (ILEG):  “There is urgent need for climate change policy and law.”

John Kyoli, chair of Kenya Climate Change Working Group (KCCWG) a network of NGOs that aim at addressing issues on climate change notes how critical the issue at hand is : “We have a role in safeguarding our people by lobbying the government to come up with a policy and law that will protect out people from the effects of climate change. We are now engaging the government through a task force. “He further points out that “… the county governments have such a big role to play in this since they are close to the people.”

The 2012 Climate Change Act seeks to achieve a framework for mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change on all sectors of the economy. It is also keen on the mechanism for financing the coordination of matters to do with climate change and enhancing climate change resilience.

Communities need to look into creative ways of mitigating climate change. The world is currently struggling on how it can reduce on green house gas emissions. Apart from forums like COPs (Conference of parties) which debate on this and set standards on how countries are supposed to adopt and mitigate on climate change, our own way of dealing with harsh weather conditions is just an immediate intervention.

By  Mary Mwendwa
The author is a freelance journalist.