Story by Leo Odera Omolo
Kenyass Prime Minister Raila Odinga yesterday became the top grand coalition government official to make an extensive tour of the endangered , but important life saving Mau Forest Complex in the South Rift.
He led a team of cabinet Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and other senior government officialsin making an aerial survey of the massive destruction of water catchmnent, environmental degradation and indiscriminate felling of indigenous trees in the area.
At one point when the PM addressed a mammoth crowd at Tenduet, he came face to face with pangs of accusations and anger of from the local community and was told in face that government officials and the local MPS who were in his entourage were the culprits in hiving off the forestland and were the owners of the adjacent illegal farms.
In an emotional remark the nominated Narok Councillor Jackson Kamunye caused stir when he told the Prime Minister that some of the MPs who had accompanied him were the land grabbers. He also level similar accusation to senior public servant at the Provincial Administration in Nakuru who were also present He shouted ,Those implicated in execising the main Mau Forest and acquiring land are some of the MPs who are here today. One was defeated during the last general election, but another grabber who is also present here is from the Provincial Administration,
During his flight over the 420,00 hetares Mau Forest Complex, the PM was accompanied by the Ministers; Dr. Noah Wekesa {Forestry}, MRS Charity Ngilu {Water},William Ole Ntimama {Heritage} and James Aggrey Orengo the Minister for Land and Settlement.
Also accompanying the PM were MPS Isaac Ruto {Chepalungu},Zakayo K.Cheruiyot\{Kuresoi},Dr. Julius Kones{Konoin}; Luka Kigen{Rongai},Nkaidili Ole Lankas{Narok South} an assistant Minister for \l\ands Gonzi Rai.
Parmanent Secretaries present were. Kombo Mwe0{Forestry},Dorothy Angote{Lands} and Dr. Mohammed Ishakia{PMs Office}
The visit came in the backdrop of the public outcry that the widespread invasion of the Mau Forest by illegal settlers and destruction of indigenous trees, illegal logging and indiscriminate felling of trees at random.It had also emerged that the forestland had been coverted into farmland by unscrupulous settlers who had encroached the forest boundaries in all fronts. And unlawful planting of tea bushes in the catchment areas.
The group saw the thick smoke emanating from hundreds of illegal charcoal burners from burning kilns bellow .
The latest tour by the MP came on the heel of another visit by the Minister for Environment John Michuki who also flew over the vast forestland on May 8, 2008 .Michuki later told the newsmen that he was horrified by the destruction by the destruction of the all-important life supporting natural ecosystem.
Odinga visit was prompted by a equally horrifying report compiled by a team of experts from UNEP, headed by Mr.Christian Lambrechta and other stakeholders who had ealier in the week presented the PM with their report..
The reports showed that Mau Forest was under siege due to human activity and had lost close to 100,000 hectares of forestland in the last ten years. Kenya, the team said was loosing Kshs 20 billion annually as the result of wanton destruction of the forests.
Reports emerging from the North Rift says that timber merchants have also turned and focused their attention to commercial forestry in Keiyo and Marakwet districts for the purpose of earning a living in the lucrative business thathas the government lose billions of shillings.
The pirates have ventured into the business easily by colluding with the forest officials and police.
In Keiyo district, illegal loggers too the advantage of the recent post-election. Violence and unlawfully harvested dozens of hectares of trees at Benon Forest, Kptagat, Msekegwa and Sibor forests.Most of the harvest trees were hidden and were later transported when normalcy returned and they are reportedly in high peak at the moment ferrying the goods[timbers} in hide and seek game.with the authorities.
Wanton destruction of indigenous trees have also been reported to be widespread in Lembus forest Eldama Ravine where the logger are said to have targeted the prized sandal trees and podo.
Raila told a meeting in Kuresoi that the government was treating the matter seriously and was determined to come up with a lasting solution.
The UNEP report on the invasion of the Mau forest had raised alarm over the future of forest projects in Kenya alarmed the government . It has spell the doom on the future of million of people that depend on forest for their survival..
Some of the projects which stands threaten by wanton destruction of trees include the Kshs 18 billion Japanese government supported Sondu Miriu and Sangoro hydro-power project plant that depend on the southwest Mau River as well as lakes Nakuru and Baringo-all are at the centre of the crisis
The report by UNEP experts hs revealed that a total of 1,962 land title deed were issued .irregularly in the Maasai Mau, leading to encroachment on the government trust land..
In its efforts and struggle to save forest, the government of Kenya has at times deploye the use of force in its eviction of illegal occupants, with the process sometime taking political dimension.
But the PM said this week that his office decided to engage the stakeholders so that a solution which is devoid of confrontation and controversy could be found.
If resettlement is necessary, we need to know how to do it without usinf force,said the PM said.
The 420,000 hectares Mau Forest Complex is part of the catchment area of the River Nile Basin. Water bodies such as Lake Nakuru and Ewaso Nyiro are under threat due to the drop in the water level upstream.
UNEPs record indicate that about 50 per cent of forestland for the Nakuru catchmen area has been lost in the last ten years.
In the past, the government carried out evictions of illegal settlers by force where thousands of people ere forcibly uprooted. Environmental groups have also expressed concern over lost of forest cover and its negative impact.
The report underscored the importance of environmental. Stability for economic development, at the same time recommending that rehabilitation of the forest be undertaken as well as addressing pf human activity..
A couple of weeks ago, for several times, the authorities had impounded lorries transporting timber by forest officials as was witnessed in the cases of Keiyo and Marakwet forests.The action resulted in a number of con traders being netted in the dragnet mounted by combined security personnel. Those arrested were prosecuted ina Kitale court, but they could not afford to abandon the deal and after some of them were released on court bails they embarked on secret schemes to retrieve they impounded goods.
Also impounded were lorries and several power saws during the operation which revealed that the illegal loggers had constructed their own makeshift roads into the forest
The operation came as the result of a tip off by the police at Kapcherop and forest officers who were allegedly colluding with pirates.
Marakwet district had reported minimal destruction during the post-election skirmishes, but the forest officials had managed to impound more than 80 tonnes of timber and arrested nine suspects who were locked up at Kapcherop police station.
A senior forest officer in the district disclosed that the illegal logger had even constructed a man made road, but the authority had even arrested the owner of the saw mill altogether with his entire workforce.
The destruction of Mau forest is also a threat to the people of the entire western Kenya region as it is believed to the source of the recent drastic drop in the level of water in Lake Victoria.
Ends
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