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Forest officers and
the vanishing trees
Story by NJERI RUGENE/ Week in Parliament
Publication Date: 05/30/2004
DAILY NATION
Business went on as usual this week as MPs got down to work, having
refused to break for the three-week pre-Budget recess last week.
Consequently, the House is expected to sit through the Budget until
late July.
The MPs have been debating the Forest Bill 2004, which among other
things, provides for the establishment, development, sustainable
management and utilisation as well as conservation of forests.
The lawmakers strongly supported a proposal to involve communities
living near forests in conservation of the resource. They also had
harsh words for the State, accusing it of treating communities
living next to forests with suspicion.
Mr Peter Munya of Tigania East, was emotional as he narrated how his
community – the Meru, have been frustrated in their conservation
bid, despite their reverence for forests which they regard as sacred.
The Meru had so much respect for forests that all centres owned by
the community's council of elders – the/ Njuri Ncheke/ is a
forest. "You cannot touch a piece of wood from a /Njuri Ncheke/
centre because the traditional Meru people know how to take care of
forests,'' the MP explained.
More important, Mr Munya said, in the traditional upbringing of
young warriors like himself, every young Meru man must own several
trees.
"Every grown up Meru man who does not have a farm where he has
his own trees is not respected,'' he narrated, adding, "we had
the technology, knowledge and cultural values for protection.''
The MP expressed disappointment that "/wazungu/ came and took
away the forests from the community and made them their property.''
''They took the forests away from us and brought characters who were
trained in schools to cheat and steal, planted them on our
communities and called them forest officers!'' complained Mr Munya.
He "encouraged'' Environment minister Newton Kulundu to visit a
/Njuri Ncheke /centre and see how those specific places where the
elders sit and which are preserved as forests.
"There is no individual who can enter those areas to cut even a
piece of firewood. If one does so, the traditional belief is that he
is cursed and he or his children will die,'' added Mr Munya. He
expressed joy that the Bill recognises "the rights of the
people to go into forests to pray.''
But assistant minister Peter Odoyo rose to accuse Mr Munya of
misleading the House that "the whole concept of /Njuri Ncheke
/is about conservation, when in fact, it is to do with worshipping
spiritual gods that were found in certain woods.
"Not all woods were considered,'' posed Mr Odoyo, the Nyakach
MP.
Temporary Deputy Speaker (Ekwee Ethuro): Mr Odoyo, that is
not a point of order! Are you implying that spiritual gods and
conservation do not go together?
Mr Munya: Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker Sir, Mr Odoyo would
benefit from visiting Tigania East to learn some of these things. He
would also benefit from reading my LLB thesis which was on /Njuri
Ncheke!/
"He will learn a lot so that he can contribute in a
knowledgeable way, instead of interrupting an expert giving gems on
how the Meru used to live,'' remarked Mr Munya.
Mr Musa Sirma the Eldama Ravine MP and a former district forest boss,
was also passionate on need for greater community participation in
conservation of forests.
The Kanu MP recalled the good old days – when his community would
use the forest for "many'' traditional rites. He pleaded that
the right should not be denied the people.
"We need it. We have been taking our boys there. We have been
doing other things there – even the rain-makers have been going
there,'' posed Mr Sirma.
"We need that right put in the Act so that the minister does
not, the next day, declare the area forbidden to residents who are
used to it,'' he said. "We are used to those things, and,
therefore, we cannot be denied them, '' the MP added.
But Embakasi MP David Mwenje, shot up: "Although I do not want
to disrupt my friend Hon Sirma,'' he said," I am wondering,
what do they take their boys to do in the forest? '' he asked.
Mr Sirma: Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir (Daniel Khamasi):
Circumcision ceremonies in our places are still done in forests not
in hospitals where Hon Mwenje take them.
Mr Mwenje: That is where they plan tribal clashes!
Assistant minister of State Stephen Tarus told the House that a man,
beaten and crippled by GSU at Kabarak on December 29, 1991 for
changing his political party affiliation from Kanu to the opposition
could not be compensated since there were no police records to show
he had reported the matter.
Mr Mirugi Kariuki of Nakuru Town had said Mr Peter Njauni, a former
Kanu district organising secretary, was assaulted by a GSU platoon
at the farm for flashing a two-finger salute. He was paralysed due
to severe injuries he received on both legs and hands which were
broken and he also lost a whole set of teeth, said Mr Kariuki.
But the assistant minister said that at Menengai Police Station
where the MP said the matter was reported, no records relating to
the case could be found.
Budalang'i MP Raphael Wanjala demanded the assistant minister be
directed to bring the police Occurrence Book to the House "so
that we can check whether the matter was reported or not since an
entry in the OB cannot be erased!''
Deputy Speaker David Musila over-ruled the MP saying it was not
necessary to bring the OB to Parliament.
Mr Soita Shitanda: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, given that the
assistant minister was in Kanu at that time, is it really in order
for the Chair to allow him to answer this question? He is taking
sides!
Mr Tarus: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, it looks like the MP is
trying to trace my history. I dont want to deny that, but, by then
even the Hon. Member was in Kanu.
Mr Daniel Khamasi, the Narc MP for Shinyalu expressed disappointed
that the Government in which he is a member "has refused to
change'' even after having been elected on that platform.
Mr Khamasi who was contributing to a motion by Mr Munya calling for
the setting up of a joint admissions board for all training colleges,
said indications are that "we were so ill-prepared to take over
the Government because we have done to bring to change.''
He lamented: "We continue doing things in the same manner the
Kanu Government used to do, in the same fashion, in the same style
– there is no difference at all!''
Mr Khamasi's contention is that his Government is still using the
same Kanu machinery, especially the provincial administration.
"People still bribe their way to get their children to Kenya
Medical Training College while its admission system is still
contentious! What change have we brought?'' complained the MP –
who appeared to have been thinking aloud!
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