Kenya Forest Service vows to recover over Sh1 billion from Sawmillers

The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has vowed to pursue Sawmillers across the country owing it above Sh1 billion.

In a statement, the body dismissed as inaccurate reports alleging that Kenya Forest Service owes Sawmillers unspecified amount of money.

It challenged those with evidence of monies owed to visit the respective Forest Stations and Ecosystem Conservator’s offices to launch their complaints.

“We have noted with serious concern, allegations appearing in various media, of monies owed to the Sawmillers by the Service, the Service has not received any formal complaints from any Sawmiller regarding monies owed to them,” reads part of a statement from its corporate communications department.

“KFS staff in the Conservancies and Forest Stations have also not received any formal complaints from the Sawmillers, considering they are the first point of contact with the Sawmillers.”

Contrary to the allegations being raised by some Sawmillers, the Service said it is owed more than Sh1 billion. It adds that since 2018, the Service has made demands to the specific Sawmillers to make good and settle their debts.

 “This was also done through a public notice that was placed in the local dailies on October 2018 18.”

“The Service appreciates those who have endeavoured to clear these debts. The Service has and shall continue to pursue this matter until all the remaining debts are paid.”

Going forward, KFS says it plans to register Sawmillers through the recently developed online e-registration platform, which will guarantee transparency, fairness and accountability and ensure that, all prequalified Sawmillers are legitimate, have met all their legal obligations as per the law, have the necessary sawmilling machineries of acceptable efficiency thus, well qualified for various categories of sawmilling operations.

The e-registration system for Sawmillers was one of the recommendations of the Forestry Task Force Report, 2018.

Early this month the government extended ban on logging to a year slowing the activities of Sawmillers across the country.

“The moratorium imposed by the government on logging in Public and community forests has been extended for a further period of 12 months,” he said.

This was the second time he was making such an extension. He first extended the ban which came into force on February 24, 2018 in November 2018.

CS Tobiko said that the extension of the ban will pave way for a multi-agency team to map and verify mature forest and ascertain which of the plantations are prime for harvest.

The task force will conduct the inspection in four months, Tobiko noted.