Colonel (Rtd) John Nyenjeri Kimani COMMANDANT KENYA FOREST SERVICE

Transcription

1 By Colonel (Rtd) John Nyenjeri Kimani COMMANDANT KENYA FOREST SERVICE

2 KFS Is a state corporation mandated to develop, manage, conserve and protect forest and allied resources in the country. It has staff compliment of 5400 half of who are deployed in law enforcement and compliance of the Forests Act 2005.

3 To present a brief outline of KFS, roles, functions and challenges faced by Enforcement and Compliance staff of KFS.

4 Organisation and roles of KFS Organisation and roles of ENCOM Division Types of forest crimes Challenges facing law enforcement agencies Recommendations to strengthen law enforcement capacities and best practices

5 VISION To be the leading Organization of Excellence in Sustainable Forest Management and Conservation. MISSION To Enhance Conservation and Sustainable Management of Forests and Allied Resources for Environmental Stability and Socio-Economic Development.

6 MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND NATURAL RESOURCES KENYA FOREST SERVICE BOARD 10 CONSERVANCIES 47 COUNTIES 175 SUB-COUNTIES 169 STATIONS BEATS

7 Own, manage and protect all state forests Promote forestry education and training and operate the Kenya Forestry College Enforce the conditions and regulations pertaining to logging, charcoal making and other forest utilisation activities Collect revenues from exploitation of forest products Develop programmes and facilities for tourism, recreational and ceremonial use of forests

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9 DIRECTOR COMMANDANT DEPUTY COMMANDANT SPMT-LONDIANI REGIONAL COMMANDANTS INSPECTORS SERGEANTS CORPORALS RANGERS

10 The Division is headed by Commandant who is answerable to the Director on all issues of the Division. There are three departments, Intelligence, Investigation and Operations. There are 10 assistant Commandants deployed in each Conservancy for command and control of staff within their Conservancies. The staff are further deployed in Counties and Stations where they conduct operations as directed by the respective forest Managers under command of Inspectors, Sergeants and Corporals. There is a Para-military training school at Kenya Forestry College for skills upgrading.

11 The roles of the Division as stipulated in the Forest Act 2005 are as follows:- Protecting KFS assets which includes natural and man made forests Protecting KFS fixed assets such as houses, offices and equipments Deter intruders from illegal activities inside forests Provide surveillance on forests by conducting patrols both within and outside the forests Conduct Operations to remove illegal settlers in forests Conduct arrests and prosecute offenders Conduct Investigations of forest offences Gather intelligence on Forest resources Disaster Management Enforce other tasks as may be given by the office of the President

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16 INTERNALY Kenya Defence Forces National Police Service Administration Police Local Administration-County and sub county officers Communities through CFAs EXTERNALLY Tanzania - along southern border. Uganda- along Western Border( Mt. Elgon). Interpol Nairobi Regional Office

17 NGOs some of them have funded trainings of local communities in fire fighting and livelihoods. CFAs These are groups which have management plans and partner with us in various activities to include protection. Community Scouts- These are formed by adjacent communities under CFAs. Partners Kenya Breweries, JICA, Finland have assisted in capacity building.

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19 1. ILLEGAL ACTIVITES Illegal loggings Charcoal burning Cultivation of crops inside forests Cultivation of illegal plants(canabis Sativa) Grazing Illegal removal of protected species i.e. sandal wood (Osyris Lanceolata)

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23 Hostility from die-hard illegal forest loggers who can do anything for survival. Over the last 6 years, 16 Rangers have suffered injuries accruing from injuries inflicted by illegal forest loggers while conducting arrests. Courts of law not meting out appropriate sentences commensurate with the damage. Ranger ratio to forest estate is now about 1:850 hectares.

24 Integrity issues by staff and general public. Rough terrain and harsh weather sometimes plays havoc- on rangers during operations. Poor state of forest roads and infrastructure. Illegal settlements inside forests. Politics.

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26 Good leadership, skills, knowledge on law enforcement High integrity- Good moral standing Agencies must attract, recruit & retain staff through remuneration and motivation Inter-agency forums to exchange ideas- once (Quartely- Nationally) or 6 months for regional and international bodies Form an association of forest law enforcement officers for exchange of information and ideas i.e. International Police Organization

27 Educate the forest adjacent communities and entire publics on the need to conserve forests for both social, economic and posterity. Partner and share benefits with the forest adjacent communities i.e. jobs, livelihoods, grazing rights, economic ventures within the forests Cultivate and buy support of the politicians Train and equip the enforcement staff

28 Partner with the Judicial Service of the nation. This will ensure stiff penalties are given to forest offenders Embed a multiplicity of strategies in law enforcement i.e. Modern technology i.e Aerial devices, GIS. Physical means Educate the publics Strengthen Intelligence gathering and Crime analysis Equip and train law enforcers Partnership with private, public, judiciary and all law enforcement agencies

29 Forest protection and Law Enforcement requires multiple strategies and calls for specialized training and Co-operation with other Law Enforcement agencies, partners and the local population at large.