NAIROBI, Kenya – Prominent environmentalist and Green Thinking Action Party leader Dr. Isaac Kalua Green has called for an immediate overhaul of the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) leadership, accusing officials of enabling the destruction of forests for profit while undermining the country’s ambitious reforestation goals.
Dr. Kalua, a conservation advocate with over four decades of experience, alleges that some KFS officials are complicit in the illegal felling of indigenous trees, citing instances where forests have been cleared for commercial purposes, including infrastructure projects and luxury developments such as golf courses.
“The President’s vision of planting 15 billion trees by 2032 will remain a pipe dream if officials within his government continue to profit from the destruction of the very forests they are tasked to protect,” Dr. Kalua stated.
President William Ruto’s administration has positioned forest conservation as a cornerstone of its environmental agenda.
However, Dr. Kalua warned that powerful individuals and entities—some linked to influential families—are exploiting legal loopholes to deplete the country’s forest cover for personal gain.
While acknowledging Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale’s ongoing efforts to curb deforestation, Dr. Kalua urged the ministry to double down on reforms.
“There are people wearing smiles while actively working to destroy our forests,” he said.
As part of his demands, Dr. Kalua called for the immediate revocation of all operational licences granted to organizations working within Kenya’s forests.
He argued that a comprehensive review is necessary to identify those operating in bad faith.
He also urged the cancellation of a licence issued to his own organization, Green Africa, in 2014.
Despite repeated requests, he said KFS has failed to resolve bottlenecks that have prevented his group from taking up the licence. Instead, the agency has focused solely on demanding payment.
“KFS has been using licences as a cover to allow unwarranted access to our forests. This system needs an urgent overhaul,” he remarked.
Dr. Kalua further highlighted the illegal export of sandalwood—a highly valuable and protected indigenous tree—under fraudulent classifications.
He accused KFS of turning a blind eye to this exploitation, which threatens the survival of the species.
Dr. Kalua, a conservation advocate with over four decades of experience, alleges that some KFS officials are complicit in the illegal felling of indigenous trees, citing instances where forests have been cleared for commercial purposes, including infrastructure projects and luxury developments such as golf courses.
“The President’s vision of planting 15 billion trees by 2032 will remain a pipe dream if officials within his government continue to profit from the destruction of the very forests they are tasked to protect,” Dr. Kalua stated.
President William Ruto’s administration has positioned forest conservation as a cornerstone of its environmental agenda.
However, Dr. Kalua warned that powerful individuals and entities—some linked to influential families—are exploiting legal loopholes to deplete the country’s forest cover for personal gain.
While acknowledging Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale’s ongoing efforts to curb deforestation, Dr. Kalua urged the ministry to double down on reforms.
“There are people wearing smiles while actively working to destroy our forests,” he said.
As part of his demands, Dr. Kalua called for the immediate revocation of all operational licences granted to organizations working within Kenya’s forests.
He argued that a comprehensive review is necessary to identify those operating in bad faith.
He also urged the cancellation of a licence issued to his own organization, Green Africa, in 2014.
Despite repeated requests, he said KFS has failed to resolve bottlenecks that have prevented his group from taking up the licence. Instead, the agency has focused solely on demanding payment.
“KFS has been using licences as a cover to allow unwarranted access to our forests. This system needs an urgent overhaul,” he remarked.
Dr. Kalua further highlighted the illegal export of sandalwood—a highly valuable and protected indigenous tree—under fraudulent classifications.
He accused KFS of turning a blind eye to this exploitation, which threatens the survival of the species.
