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"id": 815697,
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"speaker_name": "Sen. Kwamboka",
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"content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, pursuant to Standing Order No. 46(2) (a), I rise to make a Statement on an issue of general topical concern regarding the recent cases of evictions of persons who had encroached the Mau Forest Complex. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Kenya’s closed canopy forest cover currently stands at approximately 1.7 per cent of the country’s total land area. This is low compared to other African countries, with an average 9.3 per cent and the world with an average of 21.4 per cent. Most of the closed canopy forests in Kenya are mountain forests and are the nation’s water towers. Among the most important is the Mau Forest Complex. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, in the past, as a nation, we had a great tradition of environmental conservation, which taught us to respect nature and take cognisance of the fact that all forms of life; human, animal and plant, are closely interlinked and that disturbance in one gives rise to an imbalance on the others. However, over the last decades, there has been extensive degradation of the Mau Forest Complex as a result of encroachment, excisions and illegal forest resources extraction. This degradation is a major threat to water resources, biodiversity and livelihoods of forest dependent communities. If allowed to continue, it will lead to conflicts over these resources and land, political interference, weak law enforcement, limited management capacities of mandated institutions and inadequate governance systems account in part for the wanton degradation. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Mau Forest Complex forms the largest closed canopy forest ecosystem of Kenya, as large as the forests of Mt. Kenya and the Aberdares combined. Being one of the five water towers in Kenya and the single most important water catchment in the Rift Valley and Western Kenya, it is a natural asset of national importance. Its forest provides vital ecological services to the country in terms of water storage, river flow regulation, flood mitigation, recharge of ground water, reduced soil erosion and siltation. Through these ecological services, the Mau Forest Complex supports the economic activities in the Rift Valley and Western parts of the country, including energy, tourism, agriculture and industries. The Mau Forest Complex is particularly important for two of the three largest foreign currency earners, that is, tea and tourism. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is, therefore, important to conserve the Mau Forest Complex as it supports the livelihood of millions of people in the Rift Valley and Western Kenya. For instance, in the tea sector, approximately 35,000 jobs and the livelihoods of more than 50,000 small farmers, who support more than 430,000 dependants, benefit from ecology of the Mau Forest Complex. In addition, the Mau Forest Complex is the home of a minority group of indigenous forest dwellers, the Ogiek. Many communities living in the immediate surroundings of the forest depend extensively on the forest, while the urban dwellers also depend extensively on the Mau Forest Complex, mainly for water supply. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, over the last 15 years, the Mau Forest Complex has lost over 107,000 hectares, representing approximately 25 per cent of its forest cover due to The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}