An environmental lobby group has filed a petition to Kenya’s High Court in a bid to halt President Uhuru Kenyatta’s flagship policy of delivering one laptop to every child in primary school.
The Green Hand Organisation (GHO) argues the laptops will do more harm than good to the environment and will put the country’s environmental health at risk.
“The issuance of [laptops to] 700,000 to a million to pupils annually will open a flood gates of electronic wastes which will render management of such waste difficult notwithstanding the failed waste management system in the country,” Standard Media reported Hillary Rutto, GHO vice chairman, as saying.
The organisation requires the court to halt the government from implementing the project until the hearing and determination of the case is made.
GHO also want the government to produce a detailed environmental impact assessment report to be tabled out before importing, assembling or supplying laptops to primary school children.
The organisation complained the laptops will bring health risks through its mercury and lead, an important component in the manufacture of the gadgets.
“Kenya risks being the dumping ground for electronic wastes from other nations if this programme and policy is implemented hurriedly in blatant disregard of environmental concerns,” said Rutto.
Rutto finally said the government’s management control is not to the standard of holding electronic machines such as laptops.
“There is a clear failure on the same state agencies to prevent the same, so if for instance they cannot handle the few laptops that we have there, how dare can they handle 700, 000 to one million laptops,” said Rutto.
