Kakamega Central Deputy County Commissioner Ndalya Ngaya has announced the completion of Phase one of the Kakamega Forest Fencing Project as the second one begins.
Phase one covered a 15.4 Kilometer stretch from Isecheno forest station to Kakamega Showground as he noted that phase two will cover 35Kilometers.
The First phase of the electric fencing represents 13% of the project that is expected to cover 117 kilometers implemented in four phases.
In July, Rhino Ark Charitable Trust, who are implementing the project, announced support from the MPESA foundation towards phase 2 of the project.
The Organization announced that support from the MPESA foundation will enable it to carry out community-facing activities which include conservation education programmes.
The Kakamega Forest Fencing Project is sponsored by the Governments of Kenya, Japan, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
UNDP contributed Sh 72 Million towards the project, Netfund Sh 10 Million, with Kakamega County Government committing Sh 100 million and Vihiga County Government Sh 30 million.
According to Kakamega Central Deputy County Commissioner, the project aims to prevent people from encroaching on the forest as a report by the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) indicated that the forest is on the verge of extinction if human activities and logging will not be controlled.
Kakamega Forest Tour Guide Abraham Imbai says the forest covers approximately 240 Kilometers squared and lies at an elevation of 1500-1600 meters above sea level.
“The forest receives over 2000 millimeters of rain per year and the climate is constant. When it is very hot temperatures in the forest rise up to 27 degrees Celsius and when it is very cold at night it falls to about 15 degrees Celsius,” he noted.
By Moses Wekesa
