www.Kisii.Com: Syndicated news from only reputable sources [Nation, and Standard Newspapers, Kenya Times, KBC, etc.]
School Sells Forest Trees to Buy Books
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 03 July 2007 07:49
Kemasare Primary School's management committee said they sold 50 gum and cypress trees from Kemasare forest and raised Sh50,000 to buy books.Yesterday, Nyamira Town councillors - who are the custodians of the forest in Nyamaiya Division - district forest officer N.M. Okoba, education officials and police officers visited the forest after a tip-off and stopped logging of the trees.
Some of those felling and logging the trees fled on seeing the officers, who included town council chairman Joshua Osumo, finance chairman Samwel Menyenya, town planning chairman Francis Mocheche, education chairman Paul Kengere and town clerk Kepha Omwoyo.Security officers arrested some of those found cutting the trees and confiscated their equipment.
However, those arrested were later released, and their equipment returned to them after convincing the officials they had been hired by those who bought the trees from the school management. Members of the management and headmaster Samwel Gesimba held a brief meeting with the officials, and it was agreed that further deliberations on the matter be held at council offices.
The school says it was authorised to cut the trees by the district forest office.However, the forest officer and the civic leaders denied allowing the school to cut the trees.
