Arise Media 
BY RITA MUTHONI
The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry, Soipan Tuya, has called for the immediate evacuation of settlers in riparian lands, gazetted wetlands, and protected forests and lands.
Speaking in Embu during the 2024 World Environment Day celebrations where she led the National celebrations, Tuya warned that the government would resort to forced evictions if the settlers did not heed the repeated warnings.
Tuya said the government had previously tasked a multi-agency to warn the settlers to vacate from the protected areas.
She said resisting settlers compromised the government’s environmental restoration plans and must be stopped.
“I want to ask every Kenyan, in every corner of this republic, those illegally occupying riparian lands, wetlands, forests, and other protected areas to heed the government’s repeated calls and evacuate immediately before we are forced to evict them,” Tuya said.
“We cannot have our efforts negated by allowing a few people to continue destroying the little left of our forests and protected areas,” Tuya stated.
She said failure to vacate from critical catchment areas was worsening the climatic conditions with its adverse effects resulting in the deaths of many Kenyans.
Tuya commended a recent court ruling saying it is clear on protecting gazzeted forests and ecosystems.
She urged communities unlawfully occupying protected areas to abide by legal rulings and vacate the lands.
“We are targeting to restore all degraded landscapes and wetlands and plant 15 billion trees by 2032 to combat climate change,” she said.
Tuya opened the celebrations by leading the residents in planting 2,000 trees at Kiambuthi wetland on the outskirts of Embu town.
Kiambuthi is the first wetland in Embu County to be adopted by the University of Embu for restoration. It had been degraded through small-scale farming.
National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Board of Management, Chairman Emilio Mugo noted that NEMA is partnering with universities countrywide to aid in wetland restoration.
Mugo said over 60 wetland areas have already been adopted by different universities.
In Embu County, Mugo noted they have mapped the Kiambuthi, Gatituri Springs, Ngirimari, and Ega Munugu wetlands for restoration.
The restoration of the Kiambuthi wetland area is expected to serve as a demonstration center.
Dr. John Chumo, Conservation Secretary of the State Department of Wildlife, noted that the wildlife sector had suffered significant losses over the past two years due to climate change.
He highlighted that droughts have led to the deaths of animals such as elephants, monkeys, and hippos, with Amboseli, Laikipia, Aberdares, and Tsavo among the most severely impacted areas.
“There is a need to reduce the effects of climate change to increase the number of wild animals and sustain them. About 80 percent of tourists who visit Kenya are attracted by wildlife,” Dr. Chumo stated.
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