Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has said that it is not ready to surrender any piece of forest land to squatters as ordered by National Land Commission in a gazette notice dated March 1.
In a press statement undersigned by the Service Board Chairman, Peter Kinyua, KFS has dismissed NLC as having no constitutional power to order degazettement of a government forest land.
“Degazettement of boundaries of a public forest involves endorsement by the National Assembly or Senate.
“This process has not been done, hence Kamiti Forest and Mt Kenya Forest in Tharaka-Nithi remains public gazetted forests,” read part of the statement.
In the Kenya Gazette notice, NLC ordered that a 419-acre parcel be hived off the Kamiti Forest and be shared among squatters.
KFS wanted the squatters who have been living on the land since it was gazetted as a forest evicted.
Kamiti Anmer Development Association (Kada), Muungano wa Kamiti Society, Kamiti Forest Squatters Association and Kamiti Anmer Squatters Welfare have laid claim to the land.
The groups argue that it was allocated to them by retired President Daniel Arap Moi in 1990s but the forest was neither degazetted or title deeds issued.
The land-known as Kamiti/Anmer-has been the subject of a 23-year row between the KFS and the squatters.