Part of the forest, which represents half of Kisii County’s forest cover, will be destroyed if the projects are implemented.
Mr Gilbert Imbwaga, an environmentalist at the county department of forestry, said the total forest cover of Kisii County is 200 hectares.
Governor James Ongwae revisited the idea in 2014 and an investor was identified in 2016.
A controversy is brewing between the Kisii county government, Nema and the department of forestry over planned construction of a sugar factory and university on Nyangweta forest land.
Part of the forest, which represents half of Kisii County’s forest cover, will be destroyed if the projects are implemented.
The projects are set to occupy half of the indigenous forest, which measures about 100 hectares, in South Mugirango constituency.
Mr Gilbert Imbwaga, an environmentalist at the county department of forestry, said that each project will be given 25 hectares, a move that could have immense effects on the environment. “The size of Nyangweta forest is 100 hectares and 50 per cent of it has now been approved for the two projects,” said Mr Imbwaga.
He said that though the department of forestry was against the idea, it had no choice but to honour an application by the county government for user change.
Mr Imbwaga said the total forest cover of Kisii County is 200 hectares which are under danger as people keep encroaching on forest land.
“People have a misconception that forest land is free land and with no proper boundaries to define forest areas, they tend to grab the land,” he said.
He said that local leaders are to blame for residents’ attitude towards the depletion of forests. Nyangweta forest was ear marked for a sugar company in the 1980s but locals resisted the move.
Governor James Ongwae revisited the idea in 2014 and an investor was identified in 2016.
“When people support the destruction of our forests then there is a very serious problem. People have been made to believe that forests are idle land to be used for development,” said Mr Imbwaga.
“The department is now at the mercy of influencial politicians,’’ he added. National Environment Management Authority County Director Tom Togo however denied approving the projects.
Mr Togo said the county had completed tests for the sugar factory but had not approved the projects.
He said that his office had not received any application to build a university.
“We have not permitted construction of any project but have received an environmental impact assessment test on the sugar factory,” said Mr Togo.
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