The government has dismissed claims that it is destroying the forest cover in the country and instead promised to save the Mt.Kenya forest by building a Forest Monitoring Base at Imenti forest to enhance surveillance.
Forestry principal Secretary Gitonga Mugambi said the government KFS
monitoring and operations base at Imenti forest is part of the larger Mount Kenya forest ecosystem meant to strengthen forest conservation and protection efforts.
“The move is aimed at strengthening forest conservation and protection efforts. The facility will serve as a command center for forest surveillance using drones and light aircraft,” said PS Mugambi.
According to the PS, the proposed base will enable authorities to closely monitor activities within the forest and respond swiftly to threats such as illegal logging, encroachment, and forest fires.
“We are coming up with a monitoring and operations base for KFS at Imenti Forest where drones and light aircraft will be deployed to monitor and respond to what is happening in the forest,” said Mugambi.
Addressing concerns surrounding the project, the PS noted that the proposed site in the lower Imenti Forest mainly consists of vegetation and not mature forest cover, making it suitable for the establishment of the monitoring facility.
He emphasized that only eight acres of land will be utilized for the project out of approximately 300,000 acres that make up the forest area, adding that the broader Mount Kenya Forest ecosystem covers about 600,000 acres.
Mugambi argued that the project is critical to safeguarding the future of the Mount Kenya Forest ecosystem.
“This is the only sure way to restore and protect the forest. If we fail to put up the facility now, the entire Mount Kenya Forest could face greater threats in the future,” he said.
The PS further assured residents and conservation stakeholders that the project will not interfere with wildlife movement despite Imenti Forest serving as an important elephant corridor.
“The government is aware that Imenti Forest is an elephant corridor, and measures will be put in place to ensure that wildlife is not affected,” he stated.
Mugambi was speaking during the launch of innovations and research projects at the Meru University of Science and Technology International Conference.
The forum brought together researchers, innovators, and industry stakeholders from various sectors globally
Edited by John Majau
