NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 6 – Parliament has received a petition seeking to vary the boundaries of parts of Mt Elgon, Kakamega, and Nandi forests to regularise long-standing human settlements and facilitate affordable housing.
The petition, submitted by Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Deborah Barasa, requests Parliament’s approval to degazette specific sections of public forest land already inhabited by communities engaged in non-forestry activities.
Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula, while informing the house, said his office has received a petition seeking to vary the boundaries of parts of Mt Elgon, Kakamega, and Nandi forests to regularize long-standing settlements and facilitate affordable housing.
He told lawmakers that the Environment Ministry had received several petitions from members of the public residing within public forest lands and that the Kenya Forest Service Board had reviewed and recommended adjustments to certain forest boundaries.
“The Ministry has received several petitions from members of the public claiming settlement within various public forest lands across the country,” said Wetangula in his communique.
“Following a review of the committee’s report, the Kenya Forest Service Board, in writing, did recommend the regularization of these settlements through the variation of the respective forest boundaries, in accordance with section 34 of the Forest Conservation and Management Act (Cap 385).”
According to the petition, the proposed variations include 4,647 hectares in Mt Elgon Forest at the Chepyuk Settlement Scheme, 989 hectares in the South Nandi Forest (Chepkumia Block), and 1,241 hectares in Turbo Forest (Manzini Block) in Uasin Gishu County. In Kakamega Forest, 94.99 hectares in the Shiru area and 36 hectares in the Shaviringa area have also been earmarked for adjustment.
Wetang’ula directed the Departmental Committee on Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, alongside the Public Petitions Committee, to consider the petition and report their findings to the House for further deliberation.
Once the committees table their reports, Parliament will decide whether to approve the proposed boundary variations or recommend alternative measures.
