President William Ruto has lifted a six-year ban on logging in public forests.
The head of state on Sunday noted that although the country imports lumber, older trees are decomposing in the forests.
Dr Ruto explained that since he wants furniture locally made, then importers will be forced to pay taxes.
“Trees are decaying in the forest while people are struggling to get timber. Do you see the foolishness? We have lifted the ban so that we can harvest mature trees. Whoever imports furniture will be taxed because we want all that to be made in the country,” he said.
Read: Opposition Free to Hold Peaceful Protests – Ruto
In April, Kenya’s Forestry Principal Secretary Kimotho Kimani announced that the ban on logging in forests, would be lifted in July.
PS Kimani said the move would allow licensed saw millers to resume harvesting mature trees from both public and private forests.
He said the former regime imposed a moratorium on logging public and community forests six years ago with the aim of protecting existing forests.
“Before July, the government will put into place a policy on how the harvesting of mature and overgrown tree plantations will be done in public and community forests,” Kimani said.
Read Also: Four Kenya Forestry Service Officers Interdicted Over Illegal Logging In Mbooni Forest
Then, the PS said, harvesting of trees in the public forests will henceforth be done in an open and transparent and accountable manner to ensure value for money.
“We will not do it carelessly as was done previously because we want to ensure we increase our forest cover to required levels while allowing the harvesting in a regulated manner.”
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