Saw-millers in Baringo protest alleged discrimination in forest resource distribution

Saw millers in Baringo County have protested what they describe as discrimination and irregularities in the distribution of forest harvesting and saw-milling tenders.

They claim that a majority of those benefiting from forest resources are outsiders.

The saw millers, led by Timber Manufacturers Association of Kenya (TMAK) chairman Joseph K. Cheruiyot, staged demonstrations in Eldama Ravine yesterday before presenting a petition to officials at the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) offices.

In the petition addressed to the Principal Secretary for Forestry, the Chief Conservator of Forests and the CS Forestry, the group alleges political interference, ethnic favoritism and procedural malpractice in the award of forest harvesting and saw-milling tenders.

The petitioners claim that tender awards have disproportionately concentrated large forest acreages in the hands of a few well-connected individuals and companies, disadvantaging genuine local millers.

"The tendering process for the allocation of forest harvesting and saw milling blocks has been repeatedly compromised by the interference of political actors, who influence the structuring, evaluation and award of tenders to favour persons and entities known to or associated with them," read the petition in part.

They further allege that forest-adjacent communities, particularly the Lembus community in Baringo, have not been given meaningful participation or priority in the tendering process despite bearing the social and environmental impacts of forest exploitation.

According to the petition, some tenders have also allegedly been awarded to individuals or entities without the necessary machinery and technical capacity to undertake saw milling.

The petitioners claim that, in some cases, successful bidders subsequently sublet or informally transferred access to forest areas to third parties.

The saw-millers want the government to conduct an independent audit of all forest harvesting and saw-milling tenders awarded in Baringo over the past five years. They are also calling for the suspension of contested awards pending the outcome of the review.

Other demands include stricter verification of machinery and technical capacity before tenders are awarded, equitable distribution of forest harvesting acreages, greater participation of forest-adjacent communities, and publication of tender applicants, evaluation criteria, scores and successful bidders.

The group is also calling for an inter-agency oversight taskforce involving KFS, the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and the Baringo County Government.

The saw-millers have given the authorities 30 days to provide a formal response and implementation timeline. They have warned that they will consider further peaceful demonstrations if their grievances are not substantively addressed.