Ministry Defends Gazettment Of Mukogodo Forest Before Parliamentary Committee

Deborah M. Barasa, Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change & Forestry, appeared before the National Assembly Public Petitions Committee at the Parliament Buildings in Nairobi to present the Ministry’s response to a petition seeking the revocation of the gazettement of Mukogodo Forest Reserve as a public forest.

The Committee, chaired by Eric Muchangi, was considering a petition filed by Sarah Korere regarding the status of Mukogodo Forest in Laikipia County.

The Cabinet Secretary, who was accompanied by Forestry Principal Secretary Gitonga Mugambi, informed the Committee that Mukogodo Forest is a legally gazetted public forest managed by the Kenya Forest Service.

She noted that the forest serves as a critical water catchment area, a biodiversity habitat, and an eco-tourism landscape, while also supporting surrounding communities through participatory forest management agreements.

Addressing concerns raised in the petition, the Cabinet Secretary clarified that security issues in the area fall under the mandate of national security agencies and are currently being handled through ongoing multi-agency operations.

The Ministry further stated that revoking the gazettement of Mukogodo Forest would be contrary to Constitution of Kenya, particularly Article 69, and would undermine national efforts to increase Kenya’s tree cover to 30 percent by 2032 through the Government’s landscape restoration programme.

Also present during the session were senior Ministry officials led by Secretary, Forest Development George Tarus and Secretary Administration Patrick Meso.