NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 29 — Kenya has launched renewed efforts to restore Lake Ol’Bolossat, a critical national heritage site and the only natural lake in the central highlands, following alarming reports of its rapid degradation and shrinking water levels.
Recent studies show the lake has lost more than 68 per cent of its surface area over recent decades, with water levels falling to critically low points between 2023 and 2024.
The decline has triggered habitat loss, increased human-wildlife conflict, and growing threats to livelihoods for surrounding communities.
In response, Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate Change Festus Ng’eno and Wildlife Principal Secretary Silvia Museiya co-chaired a high-level, multi-agency meeting in Nairobi aimed at accelerating the restoration of the lake’s ecosystem.
“Together with my colleague, the Principal Secretary for Wildlife, we convened a high-level multi-agency meeting focused on restoring Lake Ol’Bolossat, a critical national heritage and Kenya’s only natural lake in the central highlands,” PS Ng’eno said.
He said the shrinking lake is a stark reminder of the consequences of environmental degradation, driven by catchment destruction, pollution, illegal water abstraction, encroachment, and climate change.
“This has led to habitat loss, heightened human-wildlife conflict, and growing risks to livelihoods in the surrounding communities,” he added.
Multi-agency push
The meeting brought together key institutions from the Environment, Lands, Forestry, Water, and Wildlife sectors, as well as the National Museums of Kenya and the Nyandarua County Government.
Participants reviewed the situation and agreed on urgent, coordinated actions to reverse the lake’s decline guided by a 2022–2032 Integrated Management Plan.
Priority interventions include re-surveying and clearly marking the lake boundary, restoring degraded catchment areas, regulating water abstraction, addressing encroachment and reviewing illegal land titles, and strengthening community participation in conservation.
Lake Ol’Bolossat is a vital biodiversity hotspot, supporting more than 800 hippos and over 300 bird species, making its protection critical to both conservation and sustainable development.
“I [am] encouraged by the strong inter-agency collaboration and the voice of the local community at the table,” PS Ng’eno said.
“Restoring Lake Ol’Bolossat is not just about saving a wetland; it is about securing ecosystems, livelihoods, and our shared future.”
Wildlife PS Silvia Museiya stressed the need for an integrated, multi-stakeholder approach to tackle the complex challenges facing the lake.
“The restoration of the Lake Ol’Bolossat ecosystem requires diverse perspectives, resources, and local knowledge to create effective, legitimate, and lasting solutions,” she said, noting that no single institution can solve the problem alone.
Agencies represented at the meeting included the Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI), Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Water Resources Authority (WRA), Ministry of Lands, National Museums of Kenya, Nyandarua County Government, and community conservation groups.
