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Forestry task-force forwards envelope of illegal loggers to Tobiko

The task-force under the leadership of Green Belt Movement Chairperson Marion Kamau has also recommended prosecution of Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officials culpable of mismanaging forests/SAM WANJOHI

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 30 – A task-force commissioned to review forestry management following a declaration of a three-month moratorium on logging has recommended the establishment of a caretaker management team, pending the constitution of a new forests board.

The task-force under the leadership of Green Belt Movement Chairperson Marion Kamau has also recommended prosecution of Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officials culpable of mismanaging forests.

“We recommend immediate commencement of investigations and possible prosecution of all criminal-related findings that touch on former KFS board members and staff implicated in malpractices,” Kamau said on Monday when she led members of the task-force in handing over their report to the Environment and Forestry Cabinet Secretary, Keriako Tobiko.

Alongside the report, the task-force also presented an envelope containing a list of individuals believed to be key beneficiaries of illegal logging activities.

It was not immediately clear whether sixteen KFS officials recently suspended were part of the list in the sealed envelope whose details remain confidential.

In a raft of recommendations numbering 15 however, the task-force has also called for the review of forest zoning to establish a core conservation zone to be surrounded by a multiple-users buffer zone the width of which should not exceed 500 meters.

In his remarks after receiving the report, Tobiko assured the task-force of the ministry’s commitment to implement the report and bring to book those named in its report.

“The Deputy President, William Ruto, made it abundantly clear that this report has got no shelve to be kept therefore the issue of it gathering dust does not even arise. I reiterate that the findings of this task-force will be implemented at the shortest time possible,” he said.

Speaking while meeting members of the task-force at his Karen residence earlier in the day, Ruto called for “coherent and punitive measures” to bring to an end degradation of forests in the country.

“I commit to you that the report’s recommendations will be implemented. I appreciate the fact that some decisions therein would be pretty difficult to make but they will have to be done,” said the Deputy President.

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He said the government was considering enlisting the services of National Youth Service in an aggressive exercise geared towards replanting indigenous tree for at least three years.

Ruto said the exercise will go a long way in supplementing the ongoing national tree planting campaign whose target is to have the country’s forest cover regenerate.

The Marion Kamau-led taskforce was gazetted on February 26 following Ruto’s declaration of a three-month moratorium on timber harvesting on February 24.

Other members of the special task force which was given two weeks to present a report are Environment Institute of Kenya Vice Chairperson, Linda Munyao, Rhino Ark Charitable Trust Executive Director, Christian Lambrechts, Kenya Association of Manufacturers chief executive Phyllis Wakiaga, and Kenya Water Towers Agency Chairperson, Isaac Kalua.

Also serving as members of the taskforce will be prominent corporate lawyer and Kenya Commercial Bank Director, Adil Khawaja, Kenya Private Sector Alliance Environment, Water and Natural Resources Sector Board Chairperson, Duncan Kimani, Central Trade Union official Ernest Nadome as well as lawyers Faith Waigwa and Gideon Kilakoi.

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