The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has given the 989 sawmillers a week to clear the debt or risk deregistration. The debt, according to a public notice, has accrued in the past eight years.
Between 2012 and 2018, the sawmillers harvested timber worth KSh 2,380,597,207 and deposited KSh 1,176,189,619. KFS is working to introducing e-registration to ensure compliance with the recommendations of a task force that recommended that sought the process of picking sawmillers be made transparent. The debt was unearthed by the task force,which was appointed by Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko in March. In Murang’a, 21 saw millers have yet to pay KSh 5,149,662 for trees harvested in Gatare and Wanjerere forests in Kigumo and Kangema.
In Laikipia County, two saw millers owe the state KSh 2,036,289, while in Nyeri 14 sawmillers have a KSh 20,228,628 debt. Mt Kenya-based Green Future Foundation official Muchiri Mwangi said the debts was clear evidence that the department had been riddled with corruption as no clear records were kept. Mr Muchiri said the policies implemented by Mr Tobiko would help reclaim ecosystems and increase river volumes.
[Article source: The Standard, by Boniface Gikandi]
