Through support of friends, family, and community, Ikal led efforts to demand for the protection of Mt. Elgon ecosystem which was facing destruction from the construction of the large-scale developments and other upstream developments on the Mt. Elgon ecosystem, whose impacts would destroy Mt. Elgon ecosystem,the peoples livelihoods and our national heritage, which would exacerbate conflicts, increase food security and irreversibly destroy critical ecosystems. Working with and as part of the community, we questioned the intelligence of financiers standing behind the controversial dam that was threatening the livelihoods of half a million indigenous people in both Kenya and Ethiopia. Our efforts bore fruits, with the pulling out of the European Investment Bank (EIB), which had considered financing the dam's electrical and mechanical equipment, The African Development Bank which wanted to give a loan for the electro-mechanical equipment of the plant and the World Bank, which dropped out just before pursuing a full feasibility study of the dam in 2008.

Championed by the community and supported by STK, Survival International, The Campaign for the Reform of the World Bank, Counter Balance coalition, International Rivers and other environmental and human rights organization groups from around the world, a petition was launched to oppose harmful large-scale developments that threatened ecosystems and community livelihoods, supported by organizations worldwide

While the court could not prohibit the government of Kenya from entering into further agreements with the Ethiopian Government relating to the proposed cross-border power purchase agreements, the court did declare that the community’s right to information was violated when information on the power purchase and other impacts of major infrastructure projects were withheld. The court affirmed that the government of Kenya has a duty to disclose all relevant information to the community. The court called on the government to ensure that no environmental harm arose from the agreements and projects with the Ethiopian government while attesting to the government’s obligation to protect and conserve the environment and ensure sustainable use of natural resources.
Following the ruling, STK has continued to demand better management of Mt. Elgon ecosystem, while also wholly pushing for investors, developers and the government to disclose contracts, agreements, ESIA reports and other relevant information on projects within the community to promote transparency and accountability

Presented as development, the sugar and cotton plantations in the Mt. Elgon Basin have not only led to state-sponsored human rights violations in Ethiopia but, continue to put the communities living within the Mt. Elgon ecosystem, both in Kenya and Ethiopia at risk of losing their livelihoods. Through abstracting water for irrigation, the plantations are already depleting the Mt. Elgon river influx into Mt. Elgon ecosystem. As the lake level falls, the water's salinity and temperature increase. These changes threaten the habitat, breeding grounds, food sources for fish stocks and grazing areas along the lake’s shoreline. Increased salinity and runoff containing pollutants from pesticides and fertilizers used on the crops could also increase health risks of the lake water used for human consumption. The lack of significant and timely intervention continues to threaten our community’s livelihood and identity.