Taskforce recommends radical measures to save forests.

20 March, 2018

Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko receives the interim taskforce report from the chairperson Marion Wakanyi as other members look on.

 The Taskforce formed to look into forest management resources and logging activities in the country has come up with radical changes to stem logging and save our forests.  During a press briefing convened to hand in the interim report to the Cabinet Secretary, the taskforce recommended that the KFS board of directors be disbanded and a lifestyle audit done for all the senior officers.

The Chairperson of the taskforce Marion Wakanyi outlined some of the key findings as: blatant destruction of forests, corruption by all officers manning the forests, unaccountability of all revenue generated from sale of trees, poor governance structures, poor record keeping, harvested trees left rotting away on the ground for more than two years, no replanting of trees but continuous growing of crops, lack of understanding of the social, economic and environmental impact of deforestation, unfairness in business dealings among others.

Other recommendations include; immediate stoppage of the Plantation, establishment and livelihood improvement scheme (Pelis), redeployment of staff to the greater public service, increase establishment of forest rangers, prosecution of implicated staff and recovery of stolen property, use of modern surveillance to curb illegal logging.

After receiving the interim report, the Cabinet Secretary commended the taskforce members for their tireless efforts and assured them of his support. He said that he will work with other relevant structures in government to implement the recommendations in order to save our forests.

During the press briefing, Principal Secretary, Charles Sunkuli said the Ministry is not sufficiently prepared to provide alternatives but will partner with producers of gas and the Ministry of Energy to make the commodity affordable to all Kenyans in order to curb the destruction of forests.

The taskforce has two more weeks to firm up the findings and recommendations before handing in a complete report.