By Cheki Abuje
The sandlewood plant in Kenya is facing a
total wipe out like in neighbouring Tanzania, if the government and agencies
responsible for protecting and conserving the species (Osyris SSP) will not
enhance their surveillance, Africa Science News has established.
This comes in the wake
of a consignment of sandlewood worth
more than Kshs. 1million which was intercepted late December 2015 by police
officers in Busia County, western region of Kenya en-route Uganda. Another
lorry carrying Sandlewood was confiscated in July 2015.
Reliable sources
disclosed to Africa Science News that the consignment originated from Kenya’s Rift
Valley heading to a factory in neigbouring Uganda. Sandalwood (Osyris SSP) is
dominantly found in the great rift valley of Kenya.
According to Busia
County commissioner Mongo Chimwaga, the illicit trade in sandalwood cannot be
tolerated, adding that the plant is an endangered species that falls under
presidential decree for protection.
In an exclusive
interview in his office, the county commissioner observed that there are myriad
of challenges to tackle such illicit consignments passing through Busia-Uganda
border.
He pointed out that the
manual system of clearing cargo vehicles is a hindrance in establishing what
each vehicle is carrying, noting that it is not logically sensible to hand
check every vehicle at the border as this will cause inconvenience.
The administrator
however confirmed that the poachers in sandalwood are shifting focus from
Mombasa exit point to Busia due to beefed up security at the coastal region of
Kenya.
The porous nature of
Busia-Uganda border has also been blamed for the smuggling of goods including Sandalwood
from or into Kenya. However, speaking to Africa science News, the Commissioner
reiterated that already special Border unit police officers have been deployed
to secure the Busia-Uganda border.
Chimwaga admits that Sandalwood
smuggling is a thorny issue, adding that it should be handled carefully by
intelligence sharing approach between the leadership of plant origin, security
apparatus and exit/entry point leadership.
Section 105 of the
environmental act spells out a minimum fine of Kshs. 2million against poachers
of sandalwood.
The Kenya Forest Service
coordinator Busia Count James Were expressed confidence in winning war against illegal
trade in Sandalwood through the Busia and Malaba Borders.
He said two cases are active
in a Busia court on matters of transporting Sandalwood illegally into a company
in Uganda, where liquid is squeezed from the plant and taken to India for
cosmetic manufacturing.
Were cautioned those
involved in this bad that they will not penetrate the border anymore. “Our surveillance
is on high alert all through” remarked Forester.
He at the same time
called on the international community and environmental organizations to come
to save Osyris SSP from extinction.
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