Embassy of Japan in Kenya

On Friday July 24, 2009 His Excellency President Mwai Kibaki officially commissioned the Sondu Miriu Hydro Power Station in Nyanza province. The Sondu Miriu Hydro Power Project was constructed with a soft loan from the Government of Japan amounting to Kenya Shillings 14,737,000,000 (approximately JP¥18,155,000,000). With a capacity of 60MW (Megawatts), the Project will improve the situation of power supply in the western region of Kenya and contribute to the national economy as a whole.

While expressing his sincere gratitude to the Government of Japan for its continued development and technical assistance to Kenya, President Kibaki said in his opening remark, “The construction of this Project in this part of the country was based on the need to reduce the vulnerability of hydro electricity production to droughts. The power stations on Tana River which under normal conditions account for more than 70 per cent of our hydro electricity are currently experiencing a sharp decline due to prolonged drought. In this connection the President emphasized the importance of afforestation and conservation of the Mau forest that will help realize the full economic potential of hydro power projects. His Excellency also stressed the importance on seeking alternative means of generating energy such as geothermal, wind, and solar power as well as biomass other than the drought affected hydro-power generation and the oil-based thermal generation which is expensive.”

The Prime Minster Hon. Raila Odinga said, “The Sondu Miriu Power Station is a beginning of many electricity generation projects which the Grand Coalition Government intends to commission by 2012.” He added that by 2012 Kenya will have a mix of electricity generation of 2000MW of new generation projects consisting of 61 per cent of non hydro and non oil based thermal capacity, with wind and geothermal accounting for 600MW and coal 619MW.

In the meanwhile, His Excellency Mr. Shigeo Iwatani, Japanese Ambassador to Kenya, said, “A secure and affordable supply of electricity is indeed crucial for economic development because energy supply has ripple effects to other sectors. With this fact in mind the Government of Japan came in to help the construction of the Sondu Miriu Hydro Power Plant Project”.

Ambassador Iwatani added, “The Japanese Government expressed its intention, at the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) held in Yokohama in May last year, to support Africa’s economic infrastructure development especially of road network and power generation and distribution facilities. Japan intends to focus on renewable energy stakeholders in their efforts towards identifying and maintaining alternative sources of energy. The hydro power projects such as the Sondu Miriu fell precisely into this category and Japan also intends to promote geo-thermal power generation.
Ambassador Iwatani also briefed, “The Government of Japan is supporting the Sang’oro Power Plant which is currently under construction and is expected to add a further 20MW to the national grid, and concluded that Japan has provided support to Kenya in various sectors to a tune of about Kshs 2,682,000,000. (JP¥ 3,304,000,000) so far this year”

In his speech, Mr. Edward Njoroge the KENGEN Managing Director gave a brief history of the Sondu Miriu Hydro Power Project. He said that the journey of this Project has been long and ardous with many starts and stops. The journey began in 1985 when the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funded the original inception study for this project. The first detailed plan for the Sondu Miriu Hydro Project was commissioned in 1989 and concluded in 1991 funded by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). In March 1997, the Government of Japan through JBIC approved a soft grant loan to start off phase I of the Project and in February 2004, for the phase II work. Due to concerns raised by the local community and NGOs relating to environment, compensation and economic opportunities, the funding was put on hold in October 2000. The community, NGOs and all the other stakeholders resolved to work together and progress the Project. In 2004, the funding was unlocked and the work recommenced. This Project has witnessed the community enjoy improved access roads in the area, re-location and rebuilding of two primary schools, a secondary, a church and several water projects.

The area member of Parliament, Hon. Polynis Ochieng Onyango thanked the Government of Japan for funding and leading this Project to its completion.

DECORATION CEREMONY TO PROF WANGARI MAATHAI

On Thursday 21st May 2009, H.E. Shigeo Iwatani, Ambassador of Japan to Kenya, conferred The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, the highest Decoration of the Government of Japan, to Prof. Wangari Maathai at his residence, in honor of her significant contribution in raising people’s awareness of environmental protection in Japan as well as enhancing the Japan’s global status. This historic event was graced by Hon. Moses Wetangula, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Dr. Noah Wekesa, Minister for Forestry and Wildlife, Hon. Ramadhan Kajembe, Assistant Minister for Environment and Mineral resources, Professor Miriam Were, Chairperson of National Aids Control Council and the first Hideyo Noguchi Award laureate, among other distinguished guests.

Professor Wangari Maathai, Founding Chair of Green Belt Movement, is popular among the Japanese people through her “Mottainai” Campaign which appeals for 3R’s – reduce, reuse, and recycle – for environmental protection, that she has initiated in collaboration with the Japanese private sector. Through this activity, she has also contributed to nurture the friendship and deepen the mutual understanding between the people of Japan and Kenya.

Expressing a deep gratitude to His Majesty the Emperor Akihito, the Government and people of Japan for the conferment, Professor Maathai remarked, “With the challenges of climate change, the failure to prioritize the environment, especially forests, rivers, wetlands and agricultural lands, will lead to greater suffering in the future and the right decisions should be taken at the right time”. She emphasized, in this regard, the need for the further promotion of the environmental protection in Kenya.

Click here for Professor Wangari Maathai's full speech.

Hon. Minister Moses Wetangula and Hon. Assistant Minister Ramadhan Kajembe both expressed thanks to Japan for her cooperation and continued support in the field of environment in Kenya.

In his speech, Ambassador Iwatani explained about many implication which the word "Mottainai" entails, including the spirit of respect and gratitude for all the things that exist in this world as a gift of nature as well as the humbleness of a person who uses the word and said that with huge influence as a noble peace prize laureate, this spirit has become well known to so many people in the world by now. H.E. Iwatani also stated that Professor Maathai has not only contributed to the promotion of Japanese environmental policy in the international arena, but to significant promotion of Japanese initiatives on the climate change, such as Kyoto Protocol and "Cool-Earth promtion Programme". He expressed his hope that the award, which is the first official Decoration ever conferred to a Kenyan citizen by the Government of Japan, would stimulate further cooperation between the two countries in environmental and other fields.

Click here for H.E. Ambassador Iwatani's full speech.

‘The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun’ is awarded in recognition of individuals’ outstanding achievements.


Ambassador Shigeo Iwatani presenting the Decoration certificate to Prof Wangari Maathai	Prof Wangari Maathai addressing the invited guests after her decoration	Hon. Moses Wetangula Minister for Foreign Affairs delivering his speech at the Ceremony

A group photo of the decoration ceremony's guests of honour	Prof Wangari Maathai and Prof Miriam Were the Hideyo Noguchi laureate have a light moment	The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun