Kenyan President William Ruto announced on Sunday his intention to lift a logging ban that has been in effect since 2018, despite concerns raised by environmental organisations. During a church service in Molo, a town approximately 200km northwest of Nairobi, Ruto stated that the decision was long overdue and aimed to generate employment opportunities and foster business growth.
Ruto remarked, “We cannot afford to let mature trees decay in forests while the local population suffers due to the scarcity of timber. That would be foolishness. Hence, we have decided to open up the forests and initiate timber harvesting to create jobs for our youth and expand business prospects.”
Despite positioning himself at the forefront of African climate change initiatives, the Kenyan president emphasised that his government remains committed to the target of planting 15 billion trees within the next decade.
However, Greenpeace Africa expressed apprehension, asserting that this decision could have catastrophic environmental consequences. In a petition opposing the move, the organization highlighted the significance of forests as habitats for rare and endangered species, as well as their crucial role in sustaining the livelihoods of millions of local residents who depend on forests for sustenance and medicinal resources.
Greenpeace Africa stated, “Since the imposition of the logging ban six years ago, the Kenyan government has made significant strides in forest protection and combating the climate crisis. Reversing the ban would nullify our arduous efforts, as it would trigger a surge in commercial and illegal logging driven solely by profit.”
The logging ban, implemented by the previous administration in 2018, aimed to curb illegal logging and increase Kenya’s forest coverage to 10%. Presently, the country’s forest cover stands at 8.8%, as per government statistics. The forestry and logging sector contributed 1.6% to the Kenyan economy in 2022.