The Government Should Protect Natural Forests From Deforestation
The Mt Kenya Times 
A large scale timber harvesting operation in progress at a pine forest in the UK.
By: Tonny O. Blair
In accordance with the provisions of Act of parliament No. 34 of 2016 of Forest Conservation and Management; which gives effects to Article 69 of The Kenyan Constitution with regard to forest resources; to provide for development and sustainable management, including conservation and rational utilization of all forest resources for socioeconomic development of the country and for connected purposes. This Act of parliament aims at conserving Kenya’s forests and managing them sustainably. This includes fighting deforestation and increasing carbon sequestration.
Furthermore, the act of parliament goes a notch higher to provide for the formation of a cooperate body that will be responsible for the wellbeing of the forest cover nation wide, that is Kenya Forest Service – KFS. The body was formed on a strategic fundamental factors in order to mitigate on the achievement and maintenance of the required forest cover, not forgetting the Education and training aspect of it; to which I must acknowledge they have done best based on their capabilities.
On the contrary, do the parliament in its own capacity do a keen follow up? The act again provides on the allocations of funds and resources to ensure that this particular objectives are executed effectively and to the brim. If in case they do so, they do it at “river bank level” they assume the deepest end of it. The welfare of individuals taking care of our forests should be looked into, since things might seem normal on top of the pyramid but worse below the pyramid. When this is not looked into and a swift interventions made, the aspect of corruption will not end in this particular sector. One of the zonal forest department or rather office in Homabay County, needs to be looked in to. It has poor power supply, the officers squatters have poor structure “a museum like in nature”, with poor water supply, not forgetting the protective gears, emergency kits, roads leading to those particular offices and other relevant resources that are essential in this case.
Why do I say so? Supposed their general welfare is not guaranteed, they will participate in the illegal logging and issuing of illegal permit for Forest encroachment practices in favor of some cash ‘bribe’ for their individual and familial sustainability. In line with the same, this offices are situated in the midst of the forest where there are Presence of dangerous wild animals if by bad luck any of them is attack, how will this case be handled remember the power supply is also inadequate.
If we can prevent corruption at grassroots level by providing the essential necessities that can make an individual think of bribery then we will be good to go; not issuing them with threats. It came to my realization that threats triggers the occurrence of some malicious practices, this is evident in cigarettes smoking despite a drawing of “a coffin” on the packet people still smoke, surprisingly studies have shown that the increment in smoking is about 30%, despite the warning and threats on the cigarette packets.
In 2018, Kenya had a ban on logging, which was a response to rampant illegal activities and high degradation of our ecosystem; thereby, becoming an environmental concern. Again, we are one nation which is good at formulating good and pleasant policies and laws on the contrary we are also good at not following the same laws and policies that we formulated or rather suggested.
Although one part of the loss of trees and forest cover is due to wildfires, shifting agriculture, and forestry, which provokes only temporary deforestation, a larger part of the loss of trees and forest cover is driven by urbanization and commodity-driven logging, resulting in permanent deforestation. Apparently, these practices are done illegally since a greater percentage cut down trees without permits or rather if they happen to have one they take advantage and over-cut even those that are not yet mature. Such practices should stop.
According to the Green Africa Foundation, over five million trees are cut down every day for charcoals, firewood or other uses thereby enhancing environmental degradation, negative climatic changes and weather patterns which lead to global warming. In early September 2021, Former President Uhuru Kenyatta officially declared drought in parts of Kenya a national disaster.
The Arid and Semi-Arid Land {ASAL} regions of Kenya has endured three severe drought in the decade {2010 – 2011, 2016 – 2017 and 2020 – 2022}, which was alarming and needed swift interventions. The recent drought {2020 – 2022} has been the most severe and longest with widespread livelihood loss and massive displacement of population, due to massive environmental pollution, ignorance and illegal logging.
Of late, there are probability of lifting the ban on logging once again just a year after declaring drought a menace. I am in the business of struggling to understand; what changed? Do we have enough trees and forest cover that can sustain the ecosystem? Have we plated enough to replace those that we had cut down? Should we just focus on the short-term logging advantages to the economy? Remember, it takes about 20 – 30 years for a single tree to mature then we cut it down for Kshs6000 only which can’t be equivalent to the time in which the tree took to mature. Why can’t we have the bigger picture of this? Remember these trees we are cutting down shelter to some animals for instance birds.
Furthermore, it creates long-term climatic changes and negative impacts on various sectors for instance agriculture or others. Therefore, causing long-term suffering of innocent people. Others may reason that agriculture for instance can be irrigation-based. The question is; where are the water catchments and sources? Aren’t they the natural forests and tree covers that we normally interfere with year in and year out?
The availability of trees plays a vital role in environmental conservation and positive climatic changes. Science has proven that human beings for instance take in oxygen (O2) while plants take in carbon (IV) oxide during the day. In conjunction with the same, there is a lot of pollution caused by the burning of polythene-related materials and plastics that leads to massive emission of carbon (IV) oxide (CO2) to the atmosphere. If the gas is absorbed by the Ozone (O3) layer it results in global warming, therefore, causing negative climatic changes and weather patterns.
If we have enough trees and forest coverage, the emitted carbon (IV) oxide will be absorbed by the trees hence bringing a positive impact to the ecosystem since the plants will be taking in carbon (VI) oxide (CO2) and releasing oxygen (O2) which in turn taken in by living organism and reduction of global warming which also causes skin cancer which is untreatable if severe. Therefore, prevention is better than cure.
Finally, Let us encourage one another to plant trees to solve these manageable disasters thereafter upgrading various sectors not only agriculture but also the general economy.
The forestry department should deploy trained officers to ensure that such illegal practices are ended, on the same, the same officers themselves should not contribute toward deforestation since that would be against the laws of the land.
Various communities that are privileged to possess land close to the forest, work hand in hand with the department and relevant agencies to ensure that the norm has come to an end. It’s all about us. The government should give this a priority not leaving behind various Environmental Agencies across the nation. Let us love nature, protect nature and promote nature. All for One, One for All.
Caring for their wellbeing also forms part of climate action and environmental justice. Moreover, the parliament should uphold its mandates effectively as expected of them, by ensuring that the formulated acts are re-enforced and adhered to as expected. Let us value the existence of everything that includes the resources that we are privileged to have and possess in our country. Take care and preserve them for a better future for the current and coming generations
Tonny O. Blair – Environmental Activist, Student at Rongo University.
(tonnyblairomondi908@gmail.com)
Similar Posts by The Mt Kenya Times:
- Mt Kenya Times ePAPER September 21, 2026
- Gachagua accuses Ruto of using UNGA trip to seal niobium deal in Kwale
- Ichung’wah turns Uhuru’s ‘sponyo’ joke into a policy attack
- Kuria’s rebuke of Kindiki on brews reopens the wound Gachagua left behind
- Nyoro storms Engineer as Njabini chaos signals the mountain is already at war with itself
About the Author
