KILIFI, Kenya – It has emerged that the eight baobab trees controversially brought from Kenya to the Shekvetili Dendrological Park in late 2023 by Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili have all died.
The gigantic trees were housed at the Georgian park, which was created in 2020.
However, the park’s top management has now blamed the opposition United National Movement (UNM) for the death of the eight trees sourced from Kenya’s Kilifi County.
In a severely worded statement released on Friday, August 9, the park criticised “ambushing politicos” and “so-called non-governmental organisations” for raising concerns about Ivanishvili’s purported attempt to obtain baobab trees.
As a result, they wrote that the matter had become an “ideological battleground on the African continent.”
But in a quick rejoinder, the opposition accused Saakashvili of trying to distract public attention from the ‘real issue’.
According to Dendrological Park’s statement, “justice ultimately prevailed in Africa as well,” which eventually permitted Ivanishvili to move the trees.
How Shekvetili Dendrological Park reacted to the death of the Kenyan Baobabs
However, they also pointed out that the two years of imposed bureaucratic obstacles led to a disappointing conclusion.
“Unfortunately, the stress these unusual plants experienced had an adverse effect, and all eight baobabs withered 6-7 months after they were planted in Georgia’s soil,” the statement further reads in part.
The statement ended with a warning against the “vicious and unhealthy campaign the so-called “opposition forces” are waging against Georgia.”
They wrote, “They have a strategy and approach that closely parallels the previous governments.”
Y News understands that not only did Ivanishvili acquire the Kenyan baobabs, but he was also reported to have paid other Georgians to give up rare plants from privately held property; this phenomenon was captured in the 2021 documentary, “Taming the Garden”.
For each baobab tree, Ivanishvili allegedly offered the people of Kilifi County Sh 100,000 to 300,000 Kenyan shillings, $2,200 to $720.
When did the Kenyan experts raise the red flag over the export of the Baobab trees
Before the trees arrived at their destination, Kenyan conservationist Paula Kahumbu posted images of four ancient Baobabs on a ship in the Indian Ocean on Saturday, August 12, 2023.
According to Kahumbu, CEO of WildlifeDirect, the ship was reportedly seen sailing towards Mombasa from Mtwapa.
“@DCI_Kenya, please investigate and arrest these people who are defying the order to stop Baobab tree removal from Kenya. These four (4) ancient trees are near Mtwapa now heading south,” Kahumbu posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Social media users responded differently to the post right after. Environmental activists noted that the shipment amounted to biopiracy and pocked holes into President William Ruto’s initiative to plant 15 billion trees.
“Over the last month, about 4-8 trees are moved weekly. This is disastrous. As this happens, power is shut down from Mtondia to Kibaoni, sometimes for two days. Kilifi County government should do something about this,” said Geomatics Engineer turned Public Health Researcher Moses Chapa Kiti.
Y News discovered the Kenyan government gave the green light to export the eight Baobab trees to the Ozurgeti Municipality-based Park following protracted discussions and significant controversy.
What happened before the eight Baobab trees were moved from Kenya to Georgia
However, before Georgian Georgey Gvasaliya was first permitted to export the trees by Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Chief Conservator Julius Kamau in November 2022, the entire process had been marred by controversy.
For instance, Y News knows that once President William Ruto issued an order for an investigation, the permission was withdrawn in a letter dated November 22, 2022.
The chief conservator issued a fresh permit on January 30, 2023, lifting the revocation in response to additional instructions given by the then-Environment Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya on January 18, 2023.
KFS stipulated that the Baobab tree is not an endangered species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, nor is it a protected species in Kenya or listed on any of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) appendices.
How the stalemate surrounding the export of the eight Baobabs to Georgia was resolved
In addition, the buyer was willing to trade, and the Kilifi County administration granted a permit to harvest the Baobab trees and a certificate of origin.
On January 17, 2023, the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis) and the National Environment Management Authority of Kenya (Nema) issued a phytosanitary certificate and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) permit, respectively.
This licence covered only the eight Baobab trees and was contingent upon making the required payments to the government.
Thus, on January 30, 2023, the Kenyan government finally approved the export of the baobab trees—but only on the condition that all associated costs be paid.
This ruling resolved the protracted and bitter argument over the shipment of the trees.
