Members of the communities living near forests and saw millers within the North Rift region have rejected a proposed Consensus Forest Bill that seeks to allow the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) to lease public forests to private individuals.
The bill has proposed that KFS can lease forest to developers for a maximum of 40 years.
In a media briefing on the sidelines of a public participation exercise for the bill in Eldoret, the locals expressed concerns that if passed, the bill would further limit their access to forests.
“What will happen to us when the forest is given to a private individual who decides to erect an electric fence for 40 years?” asked David Mengich, the chairman of the Community Forest Association (CFA), Uasin Gishu chapter.
“People living near the forests won’t continue enjoying the privileges they currently get like grazing their cattle and getting firewood,” Mengich added.
The community insist that the bill must be dropped in totality and any further engagements on the management of the forest to involve them from the grassroots.
Sawmillers also raised similar concerns over the proposals in the now-controversial Consensus Forest Bill.
Which African country allows the leasing of public forests?
Joel Samoei, a saw miller in Uasin Gishu, pointed out that the proposed law was implemented in Ghana, and currently, locals in the West African country are not allowed to access public forests.
“Our women get firwood in forests. We graze our cows, sheep and goats there. Someone might come and tell us we can’t do that anymore because he/she has leased it for 40 years,” Samoei said.
Members of the indigenous communities also rejected the proposed bill and cautioned President Willia Ruto against forcing it through.
They noted that the bill was ill-advised and likely to set up the government against the people.
“Looks like people around the president who are misleading him. This bill technically blocks the common mwanchi from enjoying the benefits of forests they have contributed to nurture. A person with two goats can’t raise money to lease a forest from the government,” said Obadia Kiplagat, a Community Forest Management (CFM) official from Elgeyo Marakwet.
