Ruto’s Forest Gamble Betrays Kenya’s Climate Legacy

President William Ruto’s decision to lift Kenya’s six-year logging ban has triggered a fierce national debate over whether the government can balance economic recovery with its ambitious climate and forest restoration pledges.

The government has defended the move as essential to reviving the timber industry and creating rural jobs. Yet environmental groups, climate experts, and anti-corruption agencies warn it could undermine years of gains in forest conservation and Kenya’s credibility in the fight against climate change.

“We cannot continue watching our industries die while mature trees rot in the forests,” President Ruto said during the launch of the Mau Forest Complex Integrated Conservation and Livelihoods Improvement Programme (MFC–ICLIP) at Gacharage Forest in Kuresoi North on October 27, 2025.

The 2018 logging ban was initially imposed to halt rampant deforestation, particularly in water tower ecosystems like the Mau and Aberdares. Since then, Kenya’s forest cover has increased to nearly 12.3 per cent, according to the Ministry of Environment close to the 2030 target of 15 per cent.

However, the lifting of the ban has drawn criticism from conservation groups and climate advocates, who say it sends the wrong message just as Kenya positions itself as a continental leader on green investment and climate action.

The People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua says for a country that has pledged to plant 15 billion trees by 2032 and poured billions of shillings into that ambition, allowing loggers back into Kenya’s forests reeks of recklessness.

“The decision by William Ruto and his Kenya Kwanza administration to lift the logging ban on Kenya’s forests is a betrayal of logic, science, and the nation’s own environmental commitments.”

While the government lifts the logging ban on one hand, it is simultaneously investing heavily in forest restoration. Earlier this month, statistics indicated that the state launched a KSh 21.5 billion plan to rehabilitate 3,000 acres of degraded land in the Mau Forest Complex—Kenya’s largest water catchment area.

Speaking at the event, Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary (CS) Deborah Barasa framed the restoration initiative as part of Kenya’s broader climate agenda:

“This investment proves our commitment to both the planet and our people. Sustainable forest management, not total restriction, is the way forward.”

But critics say the dual messaging restoring some forests while reopening others for logging could undermine both the country’s domestic and international credibility.

Adding another layer to the controversy, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) recently announced the recovery of 17 acres of Karura Forest and Kenya Technical Trainers College (KTTC) land worth Sh2.8 billion, illegally acquired by private developers linked to the late former minister JJ Kamotho.

The Karura case underscores the governance challenges that accompany forest management, which could intensify if the logging sector expands without strict oversight.

Kenya has been hailed globally for its climate leadership. It hosted the Africa Climate Summit in 2023 and continues to court billions in green investments. At the Climate Investment Summit, CS Barasa emphasised:

“Kenya is open for green business,” urging investors to channel funds toward renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and ecosystem restoration.

Yet observers say policies like the reversal of the logging ban risk diluting that message.

“You cannot champion reforestation at the Climate Summit while reopening forests to loggers back home,” said Green United in another online statement.

“Kenya’s moral authority in climate diplomacy depends on consistency.”

The Forest Conservation and Management Act still prohibits unlicensed harvesting in both public and private forests—a safeguard the government says will prevent abuse.

“The law is clear: no one will be allowed to harvest trees without approval,” said Forestry PS Gitonga Mugambi, speaking to national television in “Logging ban lifted but law still bars unlicensed harvesting.”

But as Kenya seeks to meet its reforestation targets, fulfill its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and attract climate financing, experts say maintaining that balance will require more than promises.

“Our forests are not just economic assets—they are our carbon sinks, our rainfall factories, our future,” Mugambi said.

“Once lost, no amount of money can replace them.”

The lifting of Kenya’s logging ban has reopened not just the forests—but an urgent national conversation: can a country champion climate action while loosening environmental restrictions?

For now, the answer lies somewhere between policy and practice—and in whether Kenya’s leaders can ensure that economic revival does not come at the cost of its green legacy.

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