Planned change to Kenya’s forest act threatens vital habitats

The proposed amendment of taking away the existing powers of the Kenya Forest Service is facing strong criticism from Nature Kenya- the East Africa natural history society. The existing law, the forest boundary in Kenya can be amended if there is a confirmation from the environmental impact assessment report, stakeholders, and the Kenya Forest Service recommendations to the Parliament. However, the new law states that anyone can petition for a change in the boundary of the forest by sending the petition to the National Assembly Clerk.

The environmentalists strongly oppose this amendment, fear that if the new law is passed in the parliament, it will accelerate the deforestation in the region and exploit the resource-rich land for commercial purposes. The rising concern for the amendment in Kenya Forest Service law will water down the conservation authority’s powers and aid to the existing devastation of climate changes. 

In support of their objection to the amendment in law, environmentalists argue that the world already is warming up and forests are one highly effective tool to reduce global warming. If the laws are weakened in regions that have a rich forest cover and plentiful resources, aiding in maintaining a healthy cover on earth, it will only dilapidate the existing situation on earth. 

Nature Kenya has cited various reasons to not allow the bill to pass and requests the people of Kenya to object against the bill. These reasons are-

• If section 34(A) of the bill is deleted, all the gains and improvements made towards the environment, its restoration and improving water catchment areas, in the last 15 years will reverse to cause a damaging impact on nature and people.
• The amendment will eventually decrease the forest cover and will go against the government’s land reclamation policy, according to which the region needs to increase the tree cover.
• It will prove detrimental to the efforts towards forest conservation in Kenya.
• The amendment bill negates the constitutional obligation of the state towards protecting the environment.
• The proposed bill is a bad precedent that will witness encroachment in the forest land, leading to exploitation of resources.
• The amendment bill violates socio-economic and environmental safety.

The environmentalists further argue that the bill, which was tabled by the National Assembly committee would incapacitate the role of the Forest Service of Kenya, whose current role is to protect public forests. 

Backing the amendment, the National Assembly committee’s memorandum mentions that the existing laws pertaining to the forest boundary change unnecessary limits the rights of a Kenyan to petition for the same. This goes against the rights a Kenyan is provided in the constitution.

Opposing the memorandum to the MPs, conservationists argue that if the bill is passed, it will be a huge setback to Kenya, a nation that intends to expand its forest cover from 7.4% to 10% of its land by the year 2022. Moreover, this move will also endanger the species that take a resort under the forest cover, and threaten extinction to the already endangered species. 

The biodiversity of Kenya is rich and expansive and the water towers serve as a source of hydropower and productivity to the farmland. If the forest boundary law is passed, it will threaten the very existence of these measures, built to improve the basic needs of a Kenyan. This amendment will eventually destroy the initiation and strengthening of Kenyan biodiversity. This proposed bill will also allow illegal incursions and poaching, further stripping Kenya of its animal wealth. 

Many environmentalists say that this proposed law is a calculated move to open doors to the private sector for forest excisions and commercial development, which stands to threaten Kenya’s natural resources while aiding the existing risk of climate change crisis.