Fencing the Mau not priority, says official

Felix Yegon

Kenya Forest Service has said it is not prioritising the fencing of government forests but will instead use Community Forest Associations in protecting the forests.

Responding to journalists on whether the government would fence off the Mau Complex to protect it from encroachment following the eviction of more than 60,000 people from the Maasai Mau, Chief Conservator of Forests Julius Kamau said fencing a forest would only happen in areas where there is human-wildlife conflict such as Aberdare and Mt Kenya forests. 

“When we use the community as the first defenders of these forests we shall know who comes into the forest,” said Kamau. 

• Mau Forest
• Mau forest evictions