Politics of land excisions and climate change in the Mau Forest Complex: A case study of the South-Western Mau Forest

Abstract

Kenya is blessed with numerous natural forests, which play vital roles in national development. The Mau Forest Complex is Kenya’s biggest water tower and unlimited source of ecological, aesthetic and socio-economic benefits to millions living around the area. However, the complex faces critical threats due to anthropogenic activities. The key objective of the study is to critically examine the causes, key impacts, and intersections between large scale land excisions, local climate change and human security of the adjacent communities. Both secondary and primary data were employed to study the links between land excisions and climate changes around the complex. The study findings reveal that large scale land excisions are mainly led by human actions such as political motives influencing contested land ownership regimes, population pressure, growth of subsistence agriculture, logging, charcoal making, and rural-urban development. The study concludes that the areas around the forests are experiencing rapid climate changes, including recurrent and persistent drought periods and rainfall variability. These changes in the local climate pose unprecedented implications to human security and well-being of the local people. The study recommends that while dealing with climate change issues, national policies be guided by taking consideration of addressing political dimensions of land excisions as a major threat to Kenya’s forest lands.