KFS Denies Illegal Forest Excisions and Encroachment

The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) dismissed claims of illegal encroachment and excision of forest land, stating that all gazetted public forests remain intact and under state protection. KFS manages approximately 2.59 million hectares of gazetted forest land, and any change in status must go through a formal degazettement process. The agency emphasized that gazetted forests are not for sale and that any third-party use is governed by special licenses.