Activists seek clarity on lift of logging ban
A section of Kilifi county-based environmental activists now want President William Ruto to shed more light on the trees and regions that will be affected by the lifting of the logging ban.
Speaking in Kidundu village after planting more than 10,000 mangrove seedlings, Grow With Us Africa Managing director Kelly Banda, one of the environmentalist, said the move if not well elaborated would accelerate deforestation, putting to waste the effort put towards environmental conservation.
He said a big percentage of state forest cover along the coastline comprises of indigenous mangrove trees which are hardwood, adding that their percentage is very minimal.
Forest cover
“We want the president and the Cabinet Secretary for Environment Soipan Tuya to come clear and tell us which types of trees and regions was the ban lifted because we fear this kind of declaration will negate all the milestones we had made during the ban. A big chunk of forest cover along the coastline comprise of indigenous mangrove trees which their coverage had not yet reached the 10 per cent forest cover as required by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),” said Banda.
Banda said the lifting of the ban is on the right track on the upper region where they depend on timber and forest products.
Kilifi climate change governance platform (KCCGP) vice chair Elizabeth Wanjiku expressed concern that the move would jeopardise the country’s forest cover.
She said if the ban was to be lifted, it should have gone through various consultation and gradual and not in a blanket way.
