By NATION REPORTERMINISTER of Lands and Natural Resources, Elijah Muchima, has said government does not have an agenda to de-gazette forests as they are committed to protect them.Muchima indicated that he was quoted out of context when he was responding to questions in Parliament in reference to Kawena Forest and Forest 27.Muchima clarified that his response in Parliament was meant to highlight that a forest can be de-gazetted because of a growing population and other compelling reasons and not that government will de-gazette forests.He noted that the Forest Act of 2015 gave the Presidency power to declare any place a forest, while section 11 under the Lands Acquisition Act allows the Presidency to de-gazette forests for the purpose of public interest.Muchima added that people who were invading forests in the quest to regularize the land for settlement are doing so against the law.
Muchima U-turns on degazetting forests
