County raise concern over public institutions cutting down trees

County administration has raised concerns over wanton tree cutting despite the ban on logging.

Environment executive Abraham Barsosio said it was appalling that some government institutions were the ones condoning this destruction instead of being conservation champions. “Logging is going on at an alarming rate. What is more shocking is that it is government institutions abetting this vice,” said the environment executive.

Barsosio accused police stations and secondary schools as the ones most notorious for the arbitrary cutting down of trees in the pretext of using the timber for building, only to be sold.

He claimed that some unscrupulous timber merchants are working in cahoots with government institutions to cut down the trees and sell them which is against the law.

At the same time, County Commissioner Ahmed Omar banned burning of bushes along the fragile Elgeyo escarpment.

The commissioner while issuing the order yesterday, said the vegetation is being wiped at an alarming rate and police will arrest anyone found burning the bushes.