House Environment Committee questions PS Mugambi over illegal logging in the country.

House Environment Committee questions PS Mugambi over illegal logging in the country.

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐁𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫.
𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟏𝟎𝐭𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓.

The Principal Secretary in the State Department for Forestry Mr. Gitonga Mugambi was hard-pressed to explain to the National Assembly's Departmental Committee on Environment Forestry and Mining why the Country is experiencing rampant and protected illegal logging activities leading to destruction of forests in the country. 

PS Mugambi and his team appeared before the Hon. Vincent Musyoka-led Committee today to respond to issues raised by Hon. Joyce Bensuda (Homa Bay) regarding the destruction of forests in the Magadi area of Kajiado County and Homa Bay County. 

The Committee raised several concerns which include illegal burning of charcoal inside forests and illegal logging that seems protected by forestry officers. 

"Hon. Chair, I have observed the case of charcoal burning in Magadi over the media, you can clearly see the hand of Government officers colluding with locals to protect this problem with the aim of promoting charcoal burning, selling and transportation to destinations which include Nairobi, why has the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry not raised alarm before the Media came in to expose?", asked Hon. Charles Kamuren (Baringo South - Committee Vice Chairperson).

Making her Contribution, Hon. Charity Kathambi (Njoro) questioned why the Ministry was not taking responsibility to protect indigenous trees, she emphasised on the need to take advantage of the multi-agency officers to curb the destruction of forests in the country. She further thanked Hon. Bensuda for raising the issue on the floor of the House. 

Additionally Hon. Fatuma Masito (Kwale) and Hon. Feisal Bader (Msambweni) said that the issues of charcoal burning in public forests was widespread in the coast under protection from security officers. 

Responding to the issues, PS Gitonga Mugambi through a report that he presented to the Committee, said there were efforts to put into action all strategies laid on paper to stop the problem. 

"We are Committed to stop illegal logging through the Kenya Forestry Service (KFS). The Ministry is involved, right now we are working with county governments to regulate our forests that are not Gazzetted, we are coming up with relevant regulations to clarify and close available gaps in law", PS Mugambi. 

Hon. Joseph Emathe however raised issues with the way the PS was responding to the concerns. He asked for a response that will prove the State Department was working. 

Hon. Bensuda who was present and the custodian of the issues raised, pointed out to the PS and the Committee that there was no link between what the PS had presented to the Committee in a report form and the reality on ground. She advised that the Committee considers having a field visit to get the real picture on ground. 

Committee Chair, Hon. Vincent Musyoka directed that the PS retreat to rework on his submissions to the Committee with a detailed data of all the officers involved in stopping this problem. 

The PS will be submitting the report in seven days.