Top Forestry officials linked to charcoal business suspended

The Kenya Forest Service has suspended three senior officials indefinitely for allegedly being behind a charcoal business.

According to KFS, the syndicate has caused massive destruction of the Dakatcha Woodland in Kilifi County.

 “We are taking the matter very seriously. We have to achieve the 2022 deadline for conserving forest cover in the country,’’ Acting Chief Conservator of Forests Monica Karenda said.

During a tour of Magarini area, Dr. Karenda noted that the suspension would pave way for investigations.

She also held meetings with officials from Kilifi County officials and national security agencies officials following complaints of continued charcoal trade.

She added that her office will deploy officers to conduct a major crackdown targeting elimination of the said the cartels.

The officer also noted that plans are underway to rehabilitate degraded forests across the country.

The three suspects are accused of colluding with illegal charcoal traders and reportedly issuing permits for transportation despite the government ban.

They are said to be behind a chain of cartels apparently linked to businessmen in the community and other government officials.

Reports indicate that Dakatcha Woodland has lost 20,000ha of land in the past decade; every year over 2000 ha is destroyed.

For the past two weeks, residents claim they have sighted a huge number of trucks transporting charcoal from Dakacha Woodland in broad daylight.

An aerial survey by journalists also revealed the magnitude of the destruction; there were sites of charcoal burning and others of hundreds of piled sacks within the forest.

Nature Kenya Coast Regional Coordinator Mr. Francis Kagema termed the destruction as devastating.

He addes that the rate of extraction has increased tremendously even after many counties banned charcoal trade.

“We have seen lorries from as far as Limuru coming for charcoal in Dakatcha, there is a well-established cartel which high jacked the charcoal association, and it has business people working with government officers, including politicians. It has been very difficult to control charcoal production in Dakatcha,” he lamented.

According to Kagema, the charcoal traders hired a large number of workers from all over the country to make charcoal commercially viable for them.

“A recent estimate showed there were 8,000 workers in the forest, since lifting of the moratorium. We have seen convoys of up to 50 lorries carrying at least 100 bags each and in the last 2 weeks alone since the lifting of the moratorium,” he added.