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Case of a prophet rejected at home
By Eliud Miring’uh
EAST AFRICAN STANDARD
09. 10. 2004
Prof Wangari Maathai may be a world famous forest conservationist but back at home, she has her own opponents.
It is something akin to the biblical saying that a prophet is never accepted in his home.
Critics say the former Professor of anatomy at the University of the Nairobi is hysterical in her love for trees, to a point of being blind to the needs of wildlife or communities that surround forests.
Take for instance, her firm rejection of the shamba system of forest conservation supported by politicians and key Government officials. The system allows communities access into forest for cultivation and they in turn tend the existing trees and plant more.
While a good number of leaders feel that the landless poor should be allowed to settle in forests to enable them plant food crops and take care of tree seedlings, Maathai will hear none of this.
To her, forestland is home to only trees and wildlife, and everybody else should keep off.
Subukia MP Koigi wa Wamwere brought out his exasperation with the fiery environmentalist recently when he declared that he was tired of listening to her "lectures" on forest conservation and management.
According to Wamwere, Maathai has refused to acknowledge the importance of communities in forest conservation.
"Over time, Hon Maathai has been a defender of forests but has conveniently refused to acknowledge that all plantation forests were created with the
shamba system," he was quoted as saying.
Wamwere feels it is illogical for one to defend the existence of forests but not the shamba system that created them.
And the MP did not stop there. He argued that the founder Maathai was opposed to an alternative system of planting trees and managing forests possibly for personal reasons.
"As the founder of the Greenbelt Movement that plants trees and harbours the ambition of being the only tree planter in the country, I believe Maathai is blinded by self interest," claimed Koigi.
He felt that Maathai could privately be pushing for the movement to be the only tree planter in the country
- not to mention the commercial benefits to be derived from this.
Another critic is former nominated MP and former long serving PC in President Kenyatta’s government, Mr Eliud Mahihu.
In a Press release two weeks ago, Mahihu lashed out at the assistant minister over her stand on the
shamba system and told her to think about the poor.
Going by this, Maathai may have to face a few home truths and reconcile the demands of her international title with the basic needs of her people.
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