John Adoyi, PBA Journalism Mentee
President of Kenya, William Ruto announced on Sunday that he has lifted the country’s ban on tree logging and has banned the importation of timber products to promote local production.
President Ruto, who made the announcement at a Church service in Nakuru County, said the moratorium that has been in place since 2018, is being lifted to open up the economy in the areas that depended on forest products and to create jobs for the youth.
The president also said that mature trees were rotting in the forest and those who depended on them were suffering because of the ban.
“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,” the President said.
Forestry in Kenya contributes about 3 percent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Through provision of jobs for the loggers and those who use the forest materials to make furniture and other products.
The ban which was put in place February 2018 by the government of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, was due to outcry from environmentalists and forest conservationists on the high rate of illegal tree logging which was destroying the East African country’s forest which is home to some of the endangered species in Africa.
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However, Kenya’s Forest Research Institutes (KFRI) claimed in 2021 that the ban resulted to the country losing about 14 billion Kenyan Shillings (76 billion Naira) in revenue and a loss of 44 thousand jobs.
“This is why we have decided to open up the forest and harvest timber so that we can create jobs for our youth and open up business,” the president said.
According to him, only matured trees will be allowed to be logged and that everyone in Kenya will contribute to the planting of 15 billion trees within the next ten years.
“Everyone should plant trees on their own. We have agreed, let’s all plant trees. As a nation, we have agreed to plant 15 billion trees. Planting trees alongside addressing the issue of climate change is important work,” he added.
Environmental groups like Green Peace have protested the president’s move, saying it will take Kenya backward in the fight for forest conservation.
