Lenku orders inspectorate officers to join fight against logging

A multi-agency raid at Maparasha area, where charcoal kilns were recently destroyed and owners arrested. [Peterson Githaiga].

Officers in the inspectorate department have been ordered to join security personnel to enforce the ban on logging and charcoal burning.

This comes after Governor Joseph ole Lenku on Friday declared the wanton destruction of forests and other natural resources a ‘county disaster in the making’.

He specifically cited Kajiado East and Central as the worst affected areas and called upon the environment department to beef up its surveillance.

“We are smarting from a severe drought and flash floods in quick succession. This has hit us hard in many parts of the country due to environmental degradation.

“We are being exposed to the effects of climate change because we are burning charcoal in unprecedented magnitude. County officers must work closely with the county commissioner to eradicate this menace,” said Lenku, adding that he fully backed the moratorium on logging and charcoal burning issued by Environment CS Keriako Tobiko.