Residents from six North Rift counties have strongly opposed the proposed Consensus Forest Bill, warning it could devastate their livelihoods and erase traditional practices that have sustained generations.
The contentious bill proposes leasing forest land for up to 40 years, a move communities see as a direct threat to their access and rights to natural resources. During a press conference held in Eldoret, residents voiced unified resistance, calling the bill an “imposition” that favors outsiders while sidelining forest-dependent communities.
“We will not agree with the Kenya Forest Service to lease our forests for 40 years,” said David Mengich, Chairman of the Community Forest Association (CFA). He highlighted the critical role that forests play in rural economies—through firewood harvesting, bee keeping, and the shamba system, which combines food crop farming with tree planting.
“The shamba system is how our families survive. This bill will lock us out,” Mengich added.
The proposed legislation has especially alarmed indigenous groups like the Sengwer, who fear total exclusion from ancestral lands. Paul Kiptinga, a Sengwer community member, said the bill could erase their identity.
“We are hunters and gatherers. If our forest is taken, we face extinction,” Kiptinga warned. He also criticized the bill’s financial demands. “We have no money for these consensus agreements,” he added.
Local sawmillers have also raised concerns. Joseph Samoel, a veteran in the timber business, condemned what he called poor forest governance and compared the bill to failed forest policies in West Africa.
“Look at Ghana. Communities were barred from grazing and farming. We won’t be dictated to in our own country,” Samoel stated.
Residents argue that the bill undermines decades of community-led forest management and threatens to sever the relationship between people and nature. They view the proposed lease agreements as opaque and unaffordable for small-scale farmers and forest users.
There’s also widespread mistrust toward the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), which many blame for previous failed policies and alleged mismanagement of forest lands. Critics fear the bill will open the door to exploitation by well-funded corporate entities under the guise of conservation.
The opposition reflects growing national concerns over access to natural resources and the need for inclusive policymaking that protects both the environment and community livelihoods.
With mounting resistance from grassroots communities, environmental groups, and indigenous leaders, the fate of the Consensus Forest Bill remains uncertain. For now, North Rift residents are standing their ground—determined to protect their forests, heritage, and way of life.
