The government has declared the destruction of forests as a threat to national security and warned of stern action against culprits.
Sounding the warning, Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary (CS) Soipan Tuya also ordered people encroaching on the natural resources to leave or be forced out.
The CS said some people have set up hotels and others were doing farming activities on forest land leading to wanton destruction of trees and the ecosystems, which she said the government will no longer tolerate.
Tuya was speaking at the General Service Unit (GSU) Kimbo Recce Company Squad grounds in Juja, Kiambu County during the launch of a nationwide tree-planting exercise targeting to plant 500 million seedlings at the onset of the short rains.
“Environmental degradation is a security threat for our country. I was in a meeting recently convened at the Interior Ministry and among the listed security threats climate change comes second to terrorism. We must therefore make sure that we combat climate change,” Tuya stated.
She added; “We are getting reports from every corner of the country through our recently established hotline of people who have decided that the forests are available for their business enterprises where they are building hotels, homes and establishing farms. I want to emphasize to Kenyans that our forests are out of bounds and we are going to be stern in ensuring value for our environment and ecosystems.”
The CS also announced that members of the disciplined forces have been identified as key in the afforestation exercise and will be used to help realize President William Ruto's goal to plant 15 billion trees in the country in the next 10 years.
"We are depending on our disciplined forces to help with our rangeland and ecosystems restoration plan to plant 15 billion trees and grow them to maturity as we wait for the short rains to set in," said the CS who was accompanied by the PS Mugambi, Kiambu County Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha, security commanders and local leaders.
She said the National Police Service, National Youth Service, the Correctional Services and regional development agencies have been incorporated in monitoring the status of seedlings being produced.
Tuya said the tree planting program aims to have at least 1.5 billion trees planted every year and that fruit and fodder trees are part of the priority species which will make 30 per cent of the 15 billion target.
The Ministry Principal Secretary Gitonga Mugambi said people who destroy forests are economic saboteurs and should be treated as terrorists. “There should be no mercy for these people because they are destroying our lives,” he retorted.
Nkanatha said so far Kiambu county has planted 7 million trees since the President’s drive started but added that there was a shortage of seedlings which has slowed down the process.
