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Sophia Karamuta, a fence attendant at Imenti forest in Meru County. Karamuta and 156 other fence attendants are in charge of patrolling the electric fence to ensure elephants do not break out to raid farms.[Files, Standard]
Despite valid concerns by citizens and conservationists and a court order, the construction of a State lodge inside Imenti Forest, Meru County, is ongoing. This is overt disrespect of not only a court order but also the people.
Kenya is struggling to meet its forest cover targets at a time climate change is ravaging livelihoods across the country. Yet despite this, President William Ruto's administration has chosen this moment to fell mature trees in the forest to make way for a State lodge, an airstrip and a golf course.
It is unacceptable that this should be prioritised over a protected ecosystem, and worse that a court order has been contemptuously disregarded in the process. Men armed with power saws, bulldozers and heavy machinery descended on Imenti Forest near Kithoka Primary School, felling mature trees and clearing bushes under tight security from Kenya Forest Service rangers despite conservatory orders issued by the Meru Environment and Land Court.
