This archive report was first published on 18 September 2019.
On September 18, 2019, the national government through the Ministry of Environment initiated the fencing of Kakamega Forest to conserve and protect it from further destruction.
According to Peter Mwangi, an environmentalist with the Ministry, the locals are being called upon to support the project, which will help curb human-wildlife conflict and preserve the indigenous forest.
The Kenya Forest Service Official, Benedict Omondi, clarified that the initiative to fence the forest is not aimed at evicting residents who live inside the forest, but to protect the environment both within and outside the forest.
However, the locals expressed concerns over not being included in the decision-making process and requested an elaborate awareness campaign to better understand the project.
