Injustice: Many of us know the people in these photos. If you do not, here is the story. On the morning of 9th January 2015, at 3 a.m, the Kenya Forest service arrested 18 residents of Chuka who were guarding the Chuka forest against logging of trees. The forest is part of Mt. Kenya forest which is one of the water tower in Kenya. They were arraigned in court the same day arraigned in court with charges of being in the forest without a license. They were held in remand for the weekend and were released on Monday after the member of National Assembly for Chuka Igambangombe constituency stood surety for all of them.The following is the list of those being held in remand since they could not raise cash bail of Kshs. 20,000 each; PETER MURITHI, LENA MUTHONI, LUCY KAARI, HARUN IRERI, GERALD NJUE, MUTEGI RUGENDO, JOHN KARITU, PATRICK MICHENI, ROBERT MUGENDI, NDURU KANGAMBI, EKISEUS MUKURU, ERASTUS NJERU, JAPHET MBAKA, SABASTIAN KILEU, JOSPETER MUTEGI, IKINGI MURAMBA, FRANCIS NJAGI, UENANCIA NJAGI Back ground of the arrest Article 42 of the constitution mandates every Kenyan to have the environment protected......using legislative and other measures. On the 18th December, 2014 the High Court in Meru vacated the orders that were barring 5 saw millers from harvesting forest produce on about 40 acres of forest in Chuka Forest of Mt. Kenya Forest. That meant that the ready saw millers could get access to the forest and clear the trees. On the same day, to prevent the trees from being cut down, the 160 people of the 3000 petitioners moved into the forest and camped there in protest. The residents have been guarding the forests in turns. The people issued with licenses of cutting trees are politicians and their cronies. It is important for that we name and shame these politicians who are bent on exploiting sacred forests to the detriment of our shared environment for their own selfish gains. Despite issuing of the logging licenses the Forest Service has no clear plan on how to involve the community and in planting of new trees. It is their opinion (residents of Chuka) that this will result in a environmental catastrophe. We are calling upon all those that can and care for our environment to join the Chuka community in this fight against corrupt government agencies that care less about our environment. We have information that the community is in the process of filing a constitutional matter to have the human Rights enforcement clauses interpreted and to prevent arbitrary arrests and prosecution of Human Rights defenders. If you know who these faceless politicians who want to log the Chuka forest; at least tell them to stop having our grand fathers and mothers arrested at 3AM and remanded for a whole weekend just for protecting the future of their children. Remind them that greed has no end and that tyranny has a witness. And this photos are a challenge to us the youth- the older generation is challenging us to rise and demand accountability from our leadership
Posted on: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 05:59:38 +0000