President Ruto lifts 6-year-long ban on logging

The Head of State spoke at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Molo, Nakuru, on Sunday, where he said his government has put up plans to ensure that only mature trees are harvested while more are planted. 

"Sasa miti inaoza huku kwa msitu na watu wanahangaika pande hii hawana mbao, hii maneno yote tumeondoa na tumesema tutafanya na mpango," he said. 

He stated that lifting the logging moratorium, which has been in effect since 2018, will create jobs for both youths and businesses, and is in line with the government's plan to plant 15 billion trees in ten years.

The moratorium was imposed in response to public outrage over illegal logging, which environmentalists blamed for Kenya's dwindling forest cover as well as damage to the country's water towers.

President Ruto, who also attended the launch of the annual Kaptagat forest ecosystem tree growing event held at Kessup forest station in Elgeyo Marakwet, stated that his administration is committed to reclaiming and conserving all water catchment areas in the country.

"Over the next 10 years, we shall grow 15 billion trees and restore 10.6 million hectares of degraded forests and rangelands," he said. 

He said that the program would completely involve the public from the local level all the way up to the Cabinet, in keeping with the constitutional imperative.

" I appeal to every Kenyan to plant at least 30 trees each year, in order to properly participate in this programme as mandated by the Constitution and contribute to our collective climate action targets," said President Ruto