Kenya's government criticised for overseeing massive destruction of forests
Date: 01-May-02
Country: KENYA
President Daniel arap Moi's government has been accused of parcelling out sections of Kenya's dwindling forests to buy support ahead of elections due by the end of this year.
Critics say that politicians sell the land they are given, pocketing the proceeds or using it to buy votes.
In a statement issued in Nairobi, Moi blamed junior government officers for not enforcing laws to protect forests. He announced the appointment of a retired army major-general, Peter Ngugi Ikenye, to head supervision of forest management.
"Prosecution of all offenders will be effected where people have deliberately destroyed river beds and vital areas of the environment, especially water catchments," the Presidential Press Services quoted Moi as saying.
"Enforcement of the ban on timber harvesting must be applied fully," the statement quoted Moi as saying. He added that the relevant government departments must enforce all laws and regulations governing the preservation of the environment.
"Despite all institutional arrangements in place to conserve the environment and forests in particular, it is quite clear that the chief conservator of forests and his officers neglected their responsibilities and allowed forests to be destroyed."
Kenyan businessmen in the timber industry have complained after the authorities this week ordered them to shut their saw mills as part of measures to stop the felling of trees.
The government has said it is committed to protecting the environment and it supports importation of timber from neighbouring states to save Kenya's forests. Environmentalists say the government has sanctioned the felling of trees.
Kenya experienced a crippling drought in 2000 which weather experts blamed partly on the rampant destruction of forests in key water catchment areas.
In February, Moi banned all land allocations to individuals after newspapers cited official documents showing that 167,000 hectares (412,700 acres) of state-owned forest had been allocated to public officials, including Moi and environment minister Joseph Kamotho.
Moi said he would seek support from the United Nations Development Programme to help replant trees. He said about 60,000 hectares of forests should have been planted throughout the country over the years, but this had not been done.
