As the Public Petitions Committee tours Kaya Kauma, local communities are calling for a greater role in managing the sacred forests even as legislators push for their formal gazettement.

According to a statement by the Parliament of Kenya on Friday, March 20, 2026, the fact-finding visit, led by Runyenjes MP Muchangi Karemba, follows a petition filed by Kilifi North MP Owen Baya seeking legal protection of Kaya forests to curb encroachment, degradation, and illegal exploitation.

Kaya Kauma is a sacred site of the Mijikenda community and is rich in cultural, spiritual, and ecological significance.

The forest forms part of a network of Kaya forests recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, serving as ancestral settlements, ritual centres, and biodiversity hubs.

Need for government support

The report stated that during the visit, local elders highlighted the need for government support alongside gazettement.

“Members of the Committee also raised concerns over community benefits and inclusion with Sitienei questioning, “Why haven’t you been able to empower the local communities with projects that will benefit them?” Parliament of Kenya wrote.

The legislators proposed the formation of an umbrella body bringing together all Kaya communities to act as trustees and champions of forest protection, while also seeking clarity on whether local communities would be employed by KFS following gazettement.

Defence on gazettement proposal

Kilifi County Forest Conservator, Ruwa Kalama Masha defended the gazettement proposal, noting that it would provide the legal backing and resources needed to protect the forests more effectively.

He cited similar arrangements in Taita, where sacred forests known as “Figi” have been gazetted without disrupting cultural practices.

“The reason for gazettement is not to stop communities from observing their cultural practices, but to help them combat destruction, especially by youth invading the forests,” he explained, adding that existing laws recognize cultural practices within forest areas.

Officials from the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) emphasised legal and institutional concerns, particularly around ownership and management of gazetted forests.

“The forest and the communities are one and the same,” said NMK Assistant Director for the Coastal Region, Hussein Aden.

In response, KFS officials noted that participatory forest management agreements would outline tangible benefits for communities, including income-generating activities such as beekeeping, eco-tourism, butterfly farming, and mushroom cultivation.

The  NMK maintained that any collaboration must respect its heritage mandate, emphasising that conservation efforts should recognise that the forest and the communities are one and the same.

The committee will continue with its consideration of the matter before tabling its report in the House.