GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 1938

IT IS NOTIFIED for the general information of the public that the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Forestry has appointed a Task Force to inquire into forest resources management and logging activities in Kenya which shall comprise of— Chairperson: Marion Wakanyi Kamau, Chairperson of the Greenbelt Movement. Members: Linda Chepkorir Ruto Munyao (Vice-Chairperson of the Environment Institute of Kenya). Christian Lambrecht (Rhino Ark Charitable Trust). Phyllis Wakiaga (Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers). Isaac Kalua (Dr.) (Chairperson of the Kenya Water Towers Agency). Duncan Kimani (Kenya Private Sector Alliance). Ernest Nakenya Nadome (Central Organisation of Trade Unions). Adil Arshed Khawaja (Advocate of the High Court of Kenya). Gideon Solonka Kilakoi (Advocate of the High Court of Kenya). Faith Waguthi Waigwa (Advocate of the High Court of Kenya). A representative from the Ministry of Interior and Co-ordination of National Government. A representative from the Ministry of Devolution and Arid and Semi-Arid Lands. A representative from the Ministry of Water and Sanitation. A representative from the Ministry of Lands. A representative of the Council of County Governors. Joint Secretaries Stephen M. King’uyu Irene Kamunge 1. The terms of reference of the Task Force shall be to— (a) determine the scale of illegal logging, destruction, degradation and encroachment of public and community forests, water towers and other catchment areas, as well as the associated impacts; (b) review the procedures, qualification and conditions for licensing of saw millers to determine their adequacy, fairness and appropriateness; (c) review and determine the effectiveness of the monitoring and verification procedures to ensure compliance with license conditions; (d) review the chain-of-custody system established by the Kenya Forest Service through which forest products from public, community and private forests are distributed, tracked and monitored from their origin in the forest to their end-use, and determine their adequacy and effectiveness; (e) review felling plans and associated programmes including planting and replanting to determine their adequacy and effectiveness; (f) determine the institutional and technical capacity of the Kenya Forest Service and other agencies involved in the management of forests to enforce compliance with forest laws and regulations; (g) determine the effectiveness and efficiency of inter-agency and intra-agency collaboration of agencies involved in the management of forests; (h) review and determine the effectiveness of participatory forest management programmes including the operational and governance structures of Community Forest Associations; (i) review and analyse the valuation procedures and methods for forest stocks; (j) audit revenue generation from forests against the investment and operational costs; (k) review the Forest Conservation and Management Act, 2016 and other related written laws to enhance penalties for contravening the provisions of the Act and related written laws; (l) review the statutory and regulatory regime governing charcoal burning and trade, and make recommendations on the need, or otherwise, to ban charcoal burning, trade or use; and (m) make recommendations on short-term, medium-term and long- term interventions to ensure sustainable management, restoration and protection of forests and water catchment areas. [567 THE KENYA GAZETTE 26th February, 2018 2. In the performance of its mandate, the Taskforce— (a) shall co-ordinate an inclusive stakeholder consultation process at all levels; (b) shall undertake aerial and ground-based surveys and investigations; (c) shall identify and co-opt technical experts or any other resource, provided that the co-opted members do not exceed one third of the Taskforce; (d) may, with the approval of the Principal Secretary in the State Department of Environment and Forestry, engage the services of such consultants as may be found necessary for the performance of its mandate; (e) shall conduct public hearings and receive representations, memoranda and petitions from the public; (f) shall commission any studies or research to elaborate on critical technical matters as may be necessary; and (g) shall call for and subpoena any relevant documents and information in the possession, custody or control of any relevant institution or persons. 3. The term of office of the Taskforce shall be thirty (30) days from the date of the publication of this notice: Provided that the Taskforce shall submit to the Cabinet Secretary an interim report within fourteen (14) days. 4. The costs incurred by the Taskforce shall be defrayed from the voted funds of the Ministry. 5. The Secretariat of the Taskforce shall be based at the headquarters of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Dated the 26th February, 2018. KERIAKO TOBIKO, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Forestry.