Soipan Tuya vow to continue with the preservation of Mau Forest
The Environment and Forestry Cabinet Secretary nominee Soipan Tuya has promised to build on the strides made by his predecessors in the preservation of the imperiled Mau Forest.
During her vetting by the National Assembly Appointment Committee, Tuya assured that she would see the water catchment’s fencing was finished after the first phase.
“The first phase of the fencing of the Mau Forest has already been completed. I looked into the upcoming budget, and the President is very clear that finishing the fencing requires fast action,” Tuya spoke.
According to Tuya, the efforts to protect the nation’s water catchment areas will not just concentrate on the Mau Forest but also on all other regions.
“Fencing will settle the question in terms of encroachment. This will not only be about the Mau but other forest which include the Mt Kenya forest and the Aberdares ranges,” she said.
Reports indicate that the government started building an electric fence in part of the Mau Forest in 2021.
It was predicted to cost Sh73.8 million and was intended to safeguard the forest from any kind of destruction so that it might organically regenerate.
After expelling 35,000 unauthorised settlers from the forest area in 2019, the authorities recovered more than 44,000 hectares of the forest.
The water catchment area will be fenced in two stages, with the first phase, which will enclose 30 hectares, currently in progress.
In cooperation with the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Water Towers put the fencing procedure into action (KFS).
