BESIDES THE serious environmental damage that the intended excision of 67,884 hectares of the remaining forest cover in Kenya will cause, the very notion of hiving off these forests to squatters shows glaring gap between environmental policy and practice.

It is ironical that after experiencing recurrent severe droughts in the past two decades, some of which have resulted in widespread famine and hunger-induced deaths, the government should attempt to hive off the country's forest cover.

Though the latest drought was associated with the La Nina weather phenomenon, experts believe it was made worse by the dwindling rivers and streams.

From nearly all corners of the country, there are reports of drying up of streams of the government's lacklustre handling of its mandate as the official manager of the country's forests.

The impact that the intended excisions will have on the country's natural heritage and its chances of sustained socio-economic growth and development have been registered with the Kenya Forestry Working Group, an NGO-based local pressure group.

It is believed that the excisions will trigger spiralling environment destruction. The forests the government intends to hive off are a vital resource for a wide range of interest groups who are demanding to be involved in all decisions on degazettement.

The unprecedented public reaction follows the notice last month in the Kenya Gazette, by the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr Francis Nyenze, of the government's intention of degazetting large parts of 14 forests in the country. They amount to 67,844 hectares of forest land (or about an eighth of the country's forest cover.

The most critical environmental impact will be on the five principal water catchment areas and thus the country's water supply. 

According to experts, much of the country's irrigation, 90 per cent of its domestic water supply and 70 per cent of hydroelectric power depend on these catchment areas. They say that forests are particularly critical to the year-round maintenance of water supply in the country because they store rainwater for gradual release into the country's streams and rivers.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), which has consistently supported efforts to safeguard Kenya's dwindling biodiversity, says that the planned excisions will reduce the country's ability to sustain its biodiversity. In a petition to Mr Nyenze, IFAW's Regional Director, Mr Michael Wamiti, points out the perils of hiving off South Nandi Forest Reserve and the Hombe area of Mount Kenya forest.

Any excision of the Nandi forest reserve will result in the extinction of numbers of endangered bird species while the excision of the Hombe area will result in the closing off of a significant elephant migratory corridor and consequent rise in human-wildlife conflicts.

Most observers find it hard to believe that the government's move to degazette parts of the 14 forests is a genuine move to resettle squatters.

Observing that the government has in the past dealt decisively with squatters, analysts fail "to understand why the government should now wish to legalise an illegality." 

In the past, even District Commissioners have successfully managed to drive squatters away from forests, while the ministry concerned has interdicted officers who have tried to encouraged squatting and even instigated the arrest of some squatters.

It is an even bigger irony that in 1999, the same government took what were then hailed as radical measures aimed at stopping the grabbing of forests and the wanton destruction of trees. These measures included the sacking of the then chief conservator of forests, Dr Wilson Kipkore, who had allocated himself 303.9 acres of the Kitale forest.

The government in addition put a halt to any new issuance of harvesting licences and ordered a review of existing ones. It also stopped quarrying activities in Ololua Forest in Ngong. 

Added to the irony is the government's past intention to have the Forestry Draft Bill enacted by parliament. Drawn up by the same ministry that seeks to hive off the 14 forests, the Bill proposed, among other things, to have communities surrounding forests vote, in a referendum, on whether to abolish or alter the boundaries of a forest and it also proposed the formation of a Kenya Forest Service with the mandate of managing forests in the same way KWS manages Kenya's wildlife diversity.

Environmentalists are in particular incensed by the apparent about-turn by the Minister for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr Francis Nyenze.

 As recently as in December 1999, Mr Nyenze told a workshop held to launch the Forest Reconnaissance Survey Report at Sirikwa Hotel in Eldoret that "the government is determined to ensure that the downward trend in forest conservation is reversed immediately by strong forest legislation and policy."