A Kenyan minister has accused people of invading forests and breaking the law by doing things like charcoal burning since the lifting of a ban on logging was announced earlier this month.
Environment Minister Soipan Tuya said “the lifting of the ban only applies to commercial forests” and involves less than 8% of the tree cover in the country.
“We have Kenyans who think the forests are free for them to go and erect structures and engage in illegal activities as well as lease out forest land,” Ms Tuya added.
President Ruto said the logging ban was lifted in order to create jobs and open up sectors of the economy that depend on forest products.
The move came as the government pushes on with its plan to plant 15 billion trees over 10 years to increase the country’s tree cover.