The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has dismissed reports that the government intends to give out 60,000 hectares of the Mau Forest Complex to Initiatives for Sustainable Landscapes (ISLA) Project funded by Dutch firm IDH.
In a statement on Sunday KFS said termed the reports fake noting that it has been patnering with ISLA for almost ten years.
“This is false information meant to mislead the public. KFS has been partnering with ISLA in rehabilitation and conservation of the South West Mau Forest for almost 10 years. The partnership has resulted in the construction of Forest Ranger Outposts to assist in forest protection and community empowerment projects to reduce pressure on the forest,” read the statement in part.
KFS noted that ISLA has been instrumental in assisting Community Forest Associations develop Participatory Forest Management Plans (PFMP) to enable them fully benefit from their conservation efforts.
“This ongoing partnership does not imply in any manner handing over of the management of the forest. The Forest Conservation and Management Act, 2016 mandates the Service with conservation and management of all gazetted forest blocks and there are no intentions whatsoever to hand over management of forests to any other entity. Indeed this was confirmed by His Excellency President William Ruto to the media at the COP28 Conference in Dubai,”KFS stated.
KFS further stated that tehre are no intentions by the government to cede ownership of any gazetted forest in Kenya to any other entity apart from that of the Government of Kenya.
However, KFS maintained that the national government was at an advanced stage of developing regulatory frameworks for the sector.
“The Government is in the process of finalizing Carbon Trading regulations which will guide implementation of the Climate Change Act as amended to streamline carbon trading in the country for the benefit of all Kenyans,” the authority added.
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