The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has appealed for increased funding to support forest protection and operational activities during the consideration of Supplementary Budget Estimates No.1 for the 2025/2026 financial year.

Appearing before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Environment, Forestry and Mining in Machakos County, the agency said inadequate funding has hindered key programmes including ranger training, fencing of public forests and improving access roads within forest reserves.

“Hon. Members, the budget for tree growing has been enhanced, we also call on this Committee to help us get more resources to support continuous training for KFS ranger officers manning our forests, servicing our unpaid debts, seedling production, and securing these forests by fencing and opening up of roads inside the forests”, Lemarkoko said.

However, lawmakers raised concerns over the conduct of some forest rangers, accusing them of mistreating members of the public and engaging in illegal activities.

Committee chairperson Vincent Musyoka said the committee had received complaints about misuse of firearms by KFS officers and poor relations with communities living near forests.

“We are concerned with the general behavior of KFS rangers, some are misusing their firearms. Recently, it happened to a Member of this Committee where your officers in Baringo South pointed guns at him, it has happened to other Kenyans, this must be stopped by streamlining the law that guides them”, Committee Chairperson Hon. Vincent Musyoka said.

llegal Logging

He further alleged that some officers are involved in illegal logging.

“Some of your officers are involved in illegal logging, they cut down trees and sell them illegally when they should be protecting them. I want to ask that you take the issues of training seriously to help them engage lawfully with the public”, he added.

Increased Funding

Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa defended the ministry’s request for increased funding, saying it would support forest conservation programmes, particularly the national tree-growing initiative.

She told the committee that the State Department for Forestry has faced challenges in protecting trees due to limited resources, noting that more than 300,000 trees have degenerated in forests partly because of inadequate fencing.

“We have had more than 300,000 trees degenerating in our forests because of fencing however the challenge has been resources”, said CS Mulongo.