Ruto lifts logging ban in state forests

President William Ruto addresses residents in Molo town, Nakuru, after a church service at St Mary's Catholic Church on July 2, 2023. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

President William Ruto on Sunday lifted the nationwide ban on logging in state forest giving a new lease of life to hundreds of saw-millers locked out of business for five years.

Speaking in Molo town, Nakuru County, after attending a Sunday church service at St Marys Catholic Church, the president said the ban was long overdue, and that it was time for saw miller to harvest mature trees.

Ruto said mature trees were rotting in the forest while locals who relied on forest produce suffered.

"Mature trees are rotting in forests while locals suffer due to lack of timber, see the foolishness in this Country. We have lifted the moratorium that was put in place," Ruto said.

Ruto said the previous government planned to have furniture imported after imposing the ban. He said the decision to increase the levy on imported furniture was meant to ensure they are locally made and provide employment to Kenyans.

"That's why we have decided to lift the ban, we get timber, allow traders to do their business, and put in place plans to plant 15 billion trees," he added.

Nakuru residents, he said, are expected to plant at least 650 million trees.

The president lifted the ban after multiple complaints from residents of Molo, Elburgon and Njoro sub-counties who were mainly supported by the timber industry.

Zakayo Maina, a renowned timber merchant in the county was among sawmillers who welcomed the president's move, saying it was good news to the people.

"Today's directive by the president has given our urban centers a fresh breath. It might take several decades for the towns to be as active as it used to be but we are hopeful," he said.

On August 2021, Former President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration introduced the ban on the products in 2021.

Later the Kenya Forest Service announced that they had lost Sh4 billion in revenue for a period of four years following the ban on logging in public and community forests.

The logging ban hit forest-dependent centres and communities mostly around Makutano, Maji Mazuri, Mau Summit, Elburgon, Molo, Kaptagat and Buka within Nakuru County.

Meanwhile, the president announced that construction work on the stalled Itare dam will soon begin.

He told jubilant Molo residents that his government had recovered the Sh15 billion which was meant for the dam that was lost during the handshake period.

The dam project, located in Kuresoi sub-county was stopped in September 2018 following reports of massive corruption and abandonment.

The project funded by the Italina government is to benefit the residents of the populous Nakuru City and the neighbouring towns of Molo, Eleburgon and Rongai.

He said during his meeting with the Italian President Sergio Mattarella in March this year, they reached an agreement that the project would proceed.

"I want to announce that I met with the Italian President who is the financier. We have agreed with them, I sent ministers two weeks ago and we have agreed we will come back to finish the Itare dam," he said.

Ruto said the plan to provide the people of Nakuru City with water was noble hence the need to complete the project.

"We had a good plan of bringing water to Molo, Njoro, Rongai and Nakuru town at Itare dam, but the devil came through the handshake and spoilt the plans," Ruto said.

The project had a completion date of April 2021 before the former president pulled the plug.

It was expected to supply water to an estimated one million people in Nakuru City and its environs.

The president said the project would be re-launched in the near future to ensure that residents of the county benefited from the water supply as earlier intended.

Deputy Rigathi Gachagua, Governor Susan Kihika, her Deputy David Kones Nyandarua Senator John Methu, and CS Lands and Housing Zacharia Njeru accompanied President Ruto.

Other leaders were MPs Kuria Kimani (Molo), David Gikaria (Nakuru Town East), Charity Khathambi (Njoro), Alfred Mutai (Kuresoi North), Paul Chebor (Rongai), Joseph Tonui (Kuresoi South), Liza Chelule (Woman Representative), George Gachagua (Ndaragwa), Njeri Maina (Kirinyaga Woman MP), Benjamin Gathiru (Embakasi Central), Vincent Musyoka (Mwala MP).

On caveat placed on land in Kuresoi North and Sout constituencies, the president directed Lands CS to ensure it is lifted.

He said the Kenya Kwanza Government will provide all Kenyan Ms have documents for their land.

Ruto landed in Nakuru with a bag of goodies for residents promising to revive stalled projects and initiate new ones.

Ruto said the government is keen on uplifting the lives of the residents of the infamous Kasarani slums through the affordable housing plan project. He challenged Nakuru residents to utilise and borrow from hustler fund kitty.

"I have directed the minister to start planning, we will have funds and the Finance Bill will assist in accumulating resources for development of the slum. Kasarani residents must live in decent houses. Set aside 10 acres and we will set up at least 5, 000 houses," he said.

Nakuru County he said will have at least 20, 000 houses constructed through the government's Affordable Housing Plan. The construction of houses he said will begin before the end of the year.

He said the establishment of the houses offers a solution to the continuous development of agricultural land. The human settlement he said needs to be located in a central place to have more land for cultivation.

Cold storage he said will be established in Njoro, Molo, and Kuresoi to avert post-harvest losses.

Ruto said the construction of stalled Itare dam will resume. He said already the government of Kenya and Italy has finalised talks and signed an agreement to have the project revived.

He said the Sh15 billion that had been lost has been recovered and Nakuru residents will benefit.

"We are coming back here so that we can restart the program. The project in itself had no problem, it was only affected by politics," he added.

Deputy President on his part called on the locals to continue supporting the government in its plans to revive the economy.

MP Maina called on her part and called on the government to hang those misusing public funds.

CS Njeru said he will ensure public funds are utilised well.

"I assure the public we will account for every single coin channeled to affordable housing projects. I don't want to be hanged. We have started titling programs even in the informal settlements," said Njeru.