The residents of Ndunduri in Bahati could be allowed to cultivate inside the forest following a promise by the Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.

The Deputy President on Friday indicated plans to re-introduce the shamba system in Ndundori forest to allow residents to farm crops in the forest.

He announced convening a meeting with area leaders and stakeholders to come up with mechanisms of running the system in the forest.

“I have convened a meeting with stakeholders including leaders from the county, officials from the KFS as well as the Lands ministry to deliberate on how you can be able to cultivate in the forest without destroying it,” said Prof Kindiki

Prof Kindiki who was revisiting the contentious subject appeared to yield to the pressure from the residents to support its re-introduction to allow Kenyans to cultivate in the forests.

Addressing residents of Ndundori area in Bahati, Prof Kindiki further warned the Kenya Forest Service from harassing the residents who cultivate in the forest.

“I have heard the complaints regarding the problems with the forest and I have asked the Kenya Forest Service not to harass you. We had similar problems last year and we managed to stop it. I want to tell the foresters that the Shamba system has existed without the forest being harmed,” said Prof Kindiki.

The controversial system which was started during the colonial times in 1910 was abolished in 2003 by the then President Mwai Kibaki after it was invaded by corrupt timber manufacturers and rogue forest officers who took advantage to grab forest land.

Attempts by former deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to re-introduce the system in 2024 was met with strong backlash from forest stakeholders and Kenyans which forced him to retreat after claiming he was misquoted.

Prof Kindiki, however, indicated that the plan is to have the Kenyans enter the forest to cultivate and emphasized on the need for the residents to comply with the guidelines that will be provided by the KFS in order to have an efficient system.

“You must cooperate with the relevant agencies including the KFS to make sure that even as you get limited access to do your farming you will protect our forest and ensure our country’s forest cover is not destroyed,” he said.

DP Kindiki teases return of shamba system in Ndundori forest

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Joseph Openda