KDF Combing through Boni Forest (Photo/The Star)
Elders from the Boni minority community have called upon the national government to subdivide the forest in a bid to flush out Al Shabaab militia.
According to the elders, subdividing the forest will reduce the threat of terror not only in the region but also the entire nation.
The elders have been lamenting of living as squatters in their own country yet the government has the means to resettle them. The community, whose main source of livelihood is hunting and gathering, is finding life unbearable following the decision to bomb the forest.
The community spokesperson Doza Dizo said that the government should sub divide the forest into 50 acres for every member of the community
“We are a very small community and that’s why they call us a minority.The issue of us squatting on our own land because of Alshabaab has now reached its limit," said Dizo.
"We are asking the government to subdivide this forest amongst each of us. Let each get 50 acres, we believe that if the forest is turned into a human habitat militants will have nowhere to hide,” he added as quoted by Baraka FM.
The remarks of the members of the clan come after Coast Regional Director Nelson Marwa put Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) on spot over laxity in the fight against terror.