Anglican Church oppose shamba system push by government, term the move retrogressive
The Church has opposed the government’s move to reintroduce the shamba system terming it as retrogressive.
Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit stated that the shamba system will deplete indigenous trees and worsen the effects of climate change.
“Climate change is catching up with us and is contributing to drought. That is why we get worried when we hear that the shamba system will be reinstated because we fear it will destroy indigenous forests,” he said.
“Indigenous forests should not be interfered with. They should remain intact. Let us not encourage any forms of entry into the forests to avoid the depletion of the much needed environment that God has given us to better our situation,” he added.
His sentiments come after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had announced that the government will soon lift the ban imposed on the shamba system in public forests which had been put in place by the previous regime.
He stated that Kenyans had a right to access the forests because they belonged to them and it was unreasonable to deny Kenyans a chance to cultivate crops in forests yet the country was importing maize.
The push to reintroduce the shamba system was received by many who applauded the move especially those living near forested areas while others like environmentalists criticised it terming it as another way of land grabbing and deforestation.
The intended goal for its reintroduction was to improve food security in the country.
The shamba system was introduced in 1910 by the colonial government and has since been in controversy by previous governments over the years.
