Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua says the Kenya Kwanza administration will return the abolished Shamba System that will see members of the public encroach forest lands to cultivate and grow crops.
The Shamba System was abolished by Mwai Kibaki’s NARC regime in 2003 over its contribution to deforestation as it encouraged Human Activities around the country’s water towers.
Speaking in Baringo county on Saturday, the Deputy President said the Kenya Kwanza government was keen on increasing the country’s food production, and allowing farming inside forests will go a long way in improving Kenya’s food capacity.
”Hii msuti ni ya raia. Iko waziri alikuja huku akafunga, huwezichukua hata matawi. Kulikua na Shamba System, wnaninchi walikua wanapewa nafasi wanalima mahindi ndani ya misitu kisha wanaondoka…Hii serikali ni yenu, tumetoa order wananichi wapewe nafasi walime misitu ndio tuongeze chakula katika nchi hii,” he said.
”Tutatoa ratiba ambaye tutalima kwa misitu bila kuharibu miti…Hio Shamba System itarudi, ngoja kidogo tu tuweke Waziri wa Environment ako na akili na anajua kitu anafanya,” the Deputy President added.
In 2003, the then Minister of Environment, Natural Resources, and Wildlife in the NARC Dr. Newton Kulundu abolished the system saying it had been abused and had greatly contributed to forest destruction.
