Court halts Aberdare forest logging regardless of licence status

Kisumu, Kenya — The Environment and Land Court in Nyandarua has halted all logging operations in Aberdare Forest, regardless of whether the operators possess valid licences, pending further rulings in a legal challenge against harvesting activities in the vital water source region. Justice Mugo Kamau issued these interim orders on Wednesday following a hasty petition submitted by Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia and resident Elijah Gachuki, calling for action against logging in the revered Aberdares.

This decision follows heightened public scrutiny on tree felling in the Aberdares, prompting politicians and environmental advocates to express worry over potential harm to Kenya’s vital water reservoirs. The court’s interference arrives just hours after sawmillers in the Central Highlands Conservancy defended their practices, asserting that the cutting involves mature trees within commercial plantations and adheres to established guidelines.

Speaking at a press conference in Nyeri on Tuesday, Jackson Wachira, the association’s chairman, denied claims that sawmillers were responsible for the Aberdare Forest’s degradation, accusing politicians of misleading the public. “What is happening in Aberdare is the harvesting of mature trees under plantation management,” Wachira stated.

He argued that prolonged restrictions had left some plantations with aged and decaying trees that required harvesting for timber and fuel. Wachira emphasized that harvesting and forest management operations were governed by written rules and regulations, urging politicians to verify these claims with the Kenya Forest Service before making accusations of forest destruction.

However, the sawmillers failed to submit documentation proving the logs’ source or confirming that all harvesting complies with regulations. The logging controversy has intensified as concerns about the movement of large timber-carrying trucks and questions about the legality of harvesting activities have grown. Opposition leaders, spearheaded by Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, have accused President William Ruto’s administration of allowing the destruction of key water towers through illegal logging.

Sawmillers have rejected these allegations, claiming their operations are professional plantation management rather than indiscriminate forest destruction. The court’s order now suspends all logging activities, irrespective of licence status, pending further court decisions. This case underscores the ongoing tension between commercial timber production and the preservation of forest ecosystems that supply water to millions of Kenyans.