GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 12794

PURSUANT to section 59 of the Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act 1999, the National Environment Management 5th September, 2025 THE KENYA GAZETTE Authority (NEMA) has received an Environmental Impact Assessment Study Report for the above proposed project. The proponent, Shungwaya Health Access Limited, proposes to construct a level 4 hospital in two phases with a total gross built-up area of approximately 6,550sq meters and a capacity of 52 in-patient beds. Phase 1 shall comprise a total of 52 beds with structures (main hospital block, morgue, cafeteria and maintenance and service points), While phase 2 shall comprise of additional gross built-up area of 891sq meters and structures (nurses tuition block and accommodation block, surgery block, parking, pharmacy, laboratory, TB clinic, associated facilities and amenities on plot L.R No. 4783 Lamu/Hindi/Magogoni along Mokowe-Hindi Road in Shungwaya, Hindi, Lamu County. The following are the anticipated impacts and proposed mitigation measures: Impacts Mitigation Measures De-vegetation resulting from the clearing of the site, leading to vegetation loss and soil erosion • Design and implement an appropriate landscaping and tree planting program to help revegetate part of the project area after construction using potential natural vegetation. • Ensure proper demarcation and delineation of the project area to be affected by construction works. • Preserve trees/vegetation/Native species, e.g., Echinochloa haploclada, Acacia sp, inside the plot where possible. • Install silt fences and sediment traps to prevent runoff to local water bodies, per EMCA (Water Quality) Regulations, 2006. • Retain >70% native vegetation and replant disturbed areas with native species. • Schedule excavation during dry months (Jan– Feb, Jun–Sep) to minimize erosion. Increased solid waste and liquid waste generation • Segregate the waste at the site. • Construct different waste disposal pits for biodegradable organic waste and another for non-biodegradable waste with appropriate shed/cover to prevent accumulation of rain/flood water. • Ensure proper disposal and separation of construction waste (pieces of wood, glass etc.) in the contractor’s yard (off the site). • Engage services of a registered NEMA waste handler to dispose of the waste at designated disposal sites. • During the transportation of building materials and waste, trucks should be covered to prevent littering on the road. • Sensitize workers on the reuse of materials where appropriate. • Accurate estimation of the required materials, order materials in the sizes and quantities needed to avoid large quantities of residual materials. • Ensure that construction materials left over at the end of construction work is used in other projects rather than being disposed of as waste. • Ensure that damaged or wasted construction materials, including cabinets, doors, plumbing and lighting fixtures, marbles, and glass, will be recovered for refurbishing and use in other projects. • Donate recyclable/reusable or residual materials to local community groups and institutions for repurposing. Impacts Mitigation Measures • Use of durable, long-lasting materials that will not need to be replaced as often, thereby reducing the amount of construction waste generated over time. • Provide facilities for proper handling and storage of construction materials to reduce the amount of waste caused by damage or exposure to biophysical elements. • Use building materials that have minimal or no need for packaging to avoid the generation of excessive packaging waste. • Provide welfare facilities (1 toilet/25 workers, potable water, first aid) per OSHA, 2007. Exposure to public and occupational safety and health risks • Implement all necessary measures to ensure health and safety of workers and the general public during the construction phase as stipulated in OSHA, 2007. • Initiate annual occupational safety audits and risk assessments through DOSHS approved auditors. • Undertake Planned maintenance (PPM) schedules for construction machines, tools, and equipment. e.g., hoists, ladders. • Register the construction site with DOSHS. • Use signage to warn staff and/ or visitors that are not involved in construction activities around risk areas. • Clear marking of work site hazards and training in recognizing hazard symbols. • Hold talks to discuss safety and health aspects. • Subject the workers to basic first-aid skills. • Keep the site cordoned off from unauthorized persons. • Provide full first aid kits at the construction site office. Provide matching Personal protective equipment for the hazards on site. • Supervision of works shall be done regularly to ensure that safety conditions are met while any deviation from safety regulations is immediately reclaimed following the best practices regarding safety at work. • Staff working in dust generating activities, e.g., site preparation, excavation, concrete mixing, stone dressing, should be provided with personal protective equipment (PPE). The use of PPE shall be enforced. • Food preparation to occur on site and discourage unregulated food vendors. • Segregate waste (hazardous, recyclable, organic) in designated bins, targeting 60% recycling, per Sustainable Waste Management Act, 2022. • Hire >50% local labor to boost economic benefits and reduce conflicts, with training per OSHA 2007. • Install biometric access and CCTV for security. Dust Emissions • Site Hoarding/netting to contain dust within the site. • Use water spraying (2–3 times daily) to reduce dust to PM10 <50 µg/m³, per EMCA (Air Quality) Regulations, 2014. 6130 6130 Impacts Mitigation Measures • Ensure strict enforcement of on-site speed limit regulations. • Careful screening of the construction site to contain and arrest construction-related dust. • Personal Protective Equipment to be worn at all times. • Construction materials on site to be covered to prevent them from being blown off by the wind. Exhaust Emission • Use low-emission machinery (Euro 3 standards) to reduce emissions by 20%, per EMCA (Air Quality) Regulations, 2014. • Vehicle idling time shall be minimized • Alternatively fueled construction equipment shall be used where feasible. • Equipment shall be properly tuned and maintained. • Sensitize truck drivers to avoid unnecessary racing of vehicle engines at loading/offloading points and parking areas, and to switch off or keep vehicle engines off at these points. Noise nuisance and vibration • Construction is restricted to between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., on weekdays and 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., on Saturdays. Noise is limited to 60 Db during the day as stipulated in the Second Schedule– Maximum Permissible Noise Levels for Construction Sites of EMCA (Noise and Excessive Vibration Pollution) (Control) Regulations, 2009. • The use of hearing protection gears by workers when exposed to noise levels above 85 dB(A). • Ensure that all generators and heavy-duty equipment are insulated or placed in enclosures to ensure ambient noise levels. Increased storm water runoff, soil erosion and flood risks • Roof water shall be harvested and stored in a reservoir for reuse. • Proper installation of the stormwater drainage system. • Ensure efficiency of drainage structures through proper design and maintenance. • Provide gratings to the drainage channels. • Ensure management of excavation activities. • Control activities, especially during rainy seasons. • Provide soil erosion control and conservation structures where necessary. • Install cascades to break the impact of water flowing in the drains. • Compact loose soils to minimize wind erosion. • A storm water management plan that minimizes impervious area infiltration by use of recharge areas. Traffic disruption along Mokowe- Hindi Road • Schedule delivery of materials during non-peak hours. • Adhere to the load carrying capacity stipulated by the traffic act Cap. 403. Exposure to occupational safety and health risks associated with a hospital • All workers and staff should be provided with appropriate protective gears. • Place sharps in sealable, puncture resistant leak proof containers, replace sharp containers when they are ¾ full. Impacts Mitigation Measures environment • Place blood soaked, dripping, blood caked disposable PPE and waste materials in leak proof bags or impervious containers. • Close and seal containers and bags prior to removal or replacement to prevent spillage or protrusion of contents during handling, transport, or storage. • Avoid excessive or rough handling to prevent rupture of containers and bags. • Treat all human blood and Other Potentially Infectious Materials (OPIM) as if contaminated with blood-borne pathogens. • Contain and confine blood and OPIM. • Wash hands and skin with warm water and soap immediately after any contact with blood or OPIM and remove gloves, even if gloves appear to be intact. • Use waterless antiseptic hand cleansers when hand washing facilities such as warm water and soap are not available. • Maintain a cleaning schedule, which requires the cleaning of work surfaces, equipment surfaces and waste containers. • Sensitize hospital management on social issues such as increased incidences of reported Hospital Acquired Infections. • Practice good personal hygiene. • Institute and implement a first aid provision process and readily available emergency response plan. • Hospital equipment and apparatus requiring additional safety measures should be managed and operated by qualified persons. • Install firefighting equipment and maintain firefighting equipment regularly. • Provide emergency numbers at strategic points. • Adequate sanitary facilities should be provided and standard cleanliness maintained. • Hospital management should be provided with evacuation procedures in case of fire. • The hospital management should practice fire drills at least once a month to ensure that they have the knowledge to act accordingly in case of fire. • Members of staff to be given the correct tools and equipment for the jobs assigned. • Members of staff to be trained in the use of all equipment that they will be required to operate. • The proponent to implement the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, No. 15 of 2007. Generation of hazardous hospital waste • All Hazardous waste to be held temporarily in the hospital for collection by contracted medical waste handlers for disposal and management off-site. • Segregate pathological, infectious, chemical, radioactive, and pharmaceutical waste in red/yellow non-chlorinated bags, per EMCA (Waste Management) Regulations, 2006. • Store hazardous waste in a secure biomed waste room, contract NEMA-licensed handlers for incineration (>1200°C) or plasma pyrolysis. 5th September, 2025 THE KENYA GAZETTE Impacts Mitigation Measures • Return expired cytotoxic drugs to suppliers for disposal, per NEMA guidelines. • Store radioactive waste in approved containers (e.g., Lab Safety Supply #12788) for decay and transfer to authorized vendors. Traffic Disruption • To reduce queue time and lengths, improve the quality and surface of the access road. • Implementation of the traffic management guidelines, including provision of on-site parking spaces. • No parking along the external roads. Adequate parking spaces provided on site. • Dropping off and picking up of patients to occur on site. Noise Nuisance • Hospitals are generally quiet places. • Ambulances to silence sirens when approaching the hospital. • Increased vegetation cover and available perimeter wall will act as containment for noise. • Use sound deflectors to minimize noise from the generator. • Routine service of the back-up generator to increase the efficiency of fuel burning. Installation of signage in appropriate places, such as high human activity points, to remind people to observe silence. Pressure on utilities/ infrastructure, water, and electricity • Install low-flow fixtures and dual piping to reduce water use by 20%, per EMCA (Water Quality) Regulations, 2006. • Use solar PV (30% energy) and LED lighting to cut consumption by 15%, per EMCA (Air Quality) Regulations, 2014. • Pave access roads, provide disabled-access pathways to reduce traffic impacts. • Use bio-digester for wastewater (BOD <5 mg/L), per EMCA (Water Quality) Regulations, 2006. • Install RCC box drains and permeable surfaces to manage stormwater, per the Climate Change Act, 2016. • Conduct climate risk assessment using KMD data to address GHG emissions and flooding risks. Exposure and increased security vulnerability due to increased human traffic frequency and density • Engage the services of security guards. • Install CCTV cameras. • Place hotline numbers in strategic places. • Sensitize the staff on security precautions. • Install security lights in strategic places around the compound, preferably with automatic on/off sensors. • Secure the site with a perimeter wall and screening of all people visiting the hospital at all points of entry and exit. • Discourage idling activities at points of entry or exit. The full report of the proposed project is available for inspection during working hours at: (a) Principal Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Foresty, NHIF Building, 12th Floor, Ragati Road, Upper Hill, Upper Hill, P.O. Box 30126–00200, Nairobi. (b) Director General, NEMA, Popo Road, off Mombasa Road, P.O. Box 67839–00200, Nairobi. (c) County-Director of Environment, Lamu County. A copy of the EIA report can be downloaded at www.nema.go.ke The National Environmental Management Authority, invites members of the public to submit oral or written comments within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this notice to the Director General, NEMA to assist the Authority in the decision making process for this project. Comments can also be e-mailed to dgnema@nema.go.ke MAMO B. MAMO, Director-General, MR/7803021 National Environment Management Authority.