Nakuru County leaders have decried the move by the government to remove import duty on raw timber saying it will greatly affect the county's economy.
Led by Governor Lee Kinyanjui, the leaders said the move by National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich is a blow to saw millers who are already hit hard by the ban on logging imposed last year.
According to the governor, the ban will prevent Njoro, Elburgon, and Molo locals who've heavily invested in the saw milling industry from benefiting from the affordable housing project enshrined in President Uhuru Kenyatta's Big 4 Agenda.
"With today’s development, our saw millers might not entirely benefit from the affordable housing agenda pie as timber required will mainly come from other countries,” Governor Kinyanjui said.
The governor wants the government to come up with friendly ways to address the deforestation problem.
Molo Member of Parliament (MP) Kuria Kimani appealed to the government to lift the ban, arguing that most people in his constituency depend on the timber business for a living.
"The economies of Elburgon and Molo towns were majorly driven by the timber industry. We appeal to the government to lift the ban to save livelihoods. We will not achieve the Big Four agenda if we criminalise sawmill business,” Kuria said.