Council of Governors (CoG) chairman Isaac Ruto and Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos want the national government to devolve all functions of the Kenya Forest Service (KFS).
Ruto, who is also Bomet governor, said forest resources should be under the county government to reduce wanton tree harvesting. “There is serious destruction of our forests and nobody seems to care. Take, for instance, the Mau complex, which is the country’s biggest water tower, trees are destroyed as if there is no tomorrow,” claimed Ruto.
He said only devolution of the KFS functions would ensure sound management and conversation of forests. “It is a pity for counties to viciously protect forests only for people to come and cut them down. Huge chunks of forest land across the country are lying bare after trees were harvested and nobody planted new ones,” he added.
He threatened to marshal Kenyans through a popular vote to compel the national government devolve the functions immediately. According to a recent study by Green Africa Foundation, a non-governmental agency, Kenya loses 5.6 million trees daily, despite persistent campaigns on environmental conservation with an estimated 20 to 25 per cent of annual deforestation thought to be due to commercial logging.
Mr Tolgos said the county governments are in a better position to champion protection and conservation of forests since wananchi would feel part and parcel of flora and fauna.
The leaders spoke at Metkei area in Elgeyo Marakwet County during a fundsdrive in aid of a local church. “There has been a negative attitude among the wananchi that the forestry sector solely serves the national government at their expense thus there has been little cooperation from them because they seldom benefit,” he noted.
He said this mind-set had impacted negatively on conservation since wananchi have been reluctant to report criminals found in protected areas. “The county governments are at the forefront in environmental conservation and when the functions are devolved the sector would be revitalised,” said Tolgos.
He also said the county governments were not benefiting from KFS in terms of corporate social responsibility, making the residents feel left out.
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