The Green Belt Movement (GBM) has penned a petition to the Principal Secretary for Forestry, Gitonga Mugambi, seeking clarification and opposing the alleged hiving of Imenti Forest to build a state lodge and a golf course.
Dated September 18, the petition sought the office of the PS to confirm whether President William Ruto had issued an order to develop the forest, as some media reports had reported.
This follows comments by the Meru Governor, Isaac Mutuma, that were plans to set aside land for a state lodge in the county as it pushes to realise city status.
"The Green Belt Movement writes to you seeking urgent clarification on the alleged plan to excise part of Imenti Forest in Meru County to construct a State Lodge and a golf course," the petition read in part.
"This follows an alleged public directive by His Excellency President William Ruto and the widespread concern and uproar that has since emerged across social media platforms and among communities who rely on this forest for their livelihoods."
In the petition, GBM insisted that Imenti Forest is a gazetted public forest protected under the Constitution and the Forest Conservation and Management Act and thus sought answers to five critical assertions.
GBM seeks to know whether the ministry had approved or initiated any process to excise land from Imenti Forest for the construction of a State Lodge or golf course.
"If such a plan exists, under what legal and policy framework is it being pursued, and what public participation processes have been carried out to date?" GBM quipped.
It also sought to know what environmental impact assessments, feasibility studies, or consultations with local communities had been conducted in relation to this alleged development.
GBM sought justification for the government hiving any gazetted forest land at a time when the country is already losing 84,716 hectares annually to deforestation and degrading a further 14,934 hectares.
The latter concerns stem from the alarming findings of the Forest Status Report 2024.
Lastly, the movement asked if there were any alternative public lands in Meru County being considered for the project, and if
so, what criteria were being used to prioritise or reject them.
Given the significant impact the project poses to the Kenyan climate, GBM requested a clear, written response to the five questions within seven days.
