The National Assembly committee on Environment on Wednesday asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to declare logging a national disaster.
The committee further demanded that the government immediately bans logging and revoke loggers' licences.
Chaired by Maara MP Kereke Mbiuki, the lawmakers lamented that unchecked logging was responsible for the drying up of rivers in recent times.
“The destruction of our national forests through unchecked logging is having a devastating impact on our water towers, which are increasingly drying up.
“We are demanding the Kenya Forest Service revoke all existing logging licences [and] a multi-agency team undertakes a holistic audit of our country’s forest cover, which will inform the government utilisation plan in future,” Mbiuki stated at a press briefing held at Parliament buildings.
[caption caption="Maara MP Kereke Mbiuki"]
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Narok North MP Moitalel Ole Kenta blamed leaders for politicizing matters of conversation even when the goal of such programs was to protect water towers.
“Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga led the evacuation of people from Mau Forest during the grand coalition government to save the environment, but politicians politicised the matter, making him lose political support,” he explained.
A number of counties have been hit by a water shortage in recent weeks, sparking fears of a looming crisis.
Affected areas include Murang'a, Kericho, Kakamega, Nairobi, Migori, Nakuru and Eldoret.
Environment Committee Vice-Chair Sophia Abdi proposed that a comprehensive audit into the impact of logging be commissioned.
Mbiuki, on the other hand, suggested: “Due to looming calamities and the several government players involved in forest conservation and management, the government should consider anchoring Kenya Water Towers in the presidency for good coordination.”
[caption caption="Narok North MP Moitalel Ole Kenta"]
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