Protests escalate in Murang'a County over alleged illegal eucalyptus trees felling

Chaos erupted outside Kigumo Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Buxton Mayabi's offices in Murang'a County on Saturday, as residents demonstrated against what they called illegal felling of eucalyptus trees around the DCC's office.

The residents told Citizen TV that they are the rightful custodians of the property and were not involved in the cutting and selling of timber from the trees which they estimate to be worth approximately Ksh.5 million.

The angry locals demanded the DCC’s transfer adding that he should surrender money he has made from the sale before leaving the office.

Kigumo MP Joseph Munyoro has since echoed his constituents' call urging police to investigate the incident.

"Reports indicate that around 11 lorries were needed to ferry timber collected from the trees. We've been told that a single lorry full of timber is worth Ksh.400,000 so the DCC has pocketed  around Ksh.5 million. We can't have such a person as the DCC; he has to leave!"

When reached for comment, Mayabi told Citizen TV that the tree-cutting exercise was not a commercial operation as  timber harvested from the trees was meant to benefit the local community.