The national government and communities living near Saboti Forest have struck an agreement which will ensure protection of the facility for posterity.
The deal is expected to bring to an end all deforestation activities that have been taking place, with the communities being allowed to take a front seat in the tree planting campaign and other activities meant to reestablish the forest’s glory.
Leading formation of the deal at Gitwamba Health Center, was Trans Nzoia County Commissioner Hussein Allasow Hussein, who bemoaned massive deforestation activities in the Forest and challenged the communities living near the forest to walk the talk and ensure the forest is protected fully.
The agreement was struck after Allasow had led the County Security team to tour Mukunga Section of Saboti Forest, where unknown individuals had caused massive destruction by bringing down hundreds of trees, a move whose intention remains unclear.
He warned that the government will not tolerate any further destruction of the forest insisting that police have launched investigations in the incident with an intention of ensuring all those who are responsible are brought to book.
“As a government we are not going to watch as this important water tower is brought down. For this reason, we are here to engage the community who are important stakeholders,” he said.
Mentioning the benefits, the community gets from the forest, Allasow warned that if the destruction continues, the government will consider to declare the forest a no go zone where all human activities will be stopped.
” Moving forward if this does not stop, we will decide to ban all human activities in the forest including grazing of animals,” he warned.
Advising the community not to take the law in their own hands before exhausting legally available mechanisms to address land grievances, Allasow said the government is willing to listen and ensure an amicable solution is found to all land disputes which may exist, only if not pushed into a confrontation.
Present was Trans Nzoia County Forest Conservator Joseph Mbugua who welcomed the deal saying that unlawful cutting down of trees has been a major challenge the department has been facing in the region.
Led by their spokesperson John Ngeywo, the communities vowed to join hands with the government to protect the forest to the last drop.
Ngeywo promised to work hand in hand with security personnel to ensure all those responsible are brought to book.
“We have lived with this forest for many years since and it has been of great benefit to us. There is no way we are going to witness it go down. We have agreed to join hands with the government to ensure that no more trees are brought down. The community is willing to take a front seat in the restoration campaign,” he declared.
By Isaiah Nayika
