Environment Cabinet Secretary nominee Aden Duale has fired a warning shot to all forest land grabbers that they should be prepared to move out if he is confirmed.

Duale stated that he was going to deal with them ruthlessly regardless of their status in society.

“As I got to Environment, for NEMA to Forestry, at least if you are hearing me and you sit here or you are somewhere and you have allocated yourself illegally some forest land, be warned if this committee approves me,” he said.

Appearing before the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointments, Duale claimed some senior individuals in government have used their positions to allocate themselves lands illegally.

Citing the Oloolua forest, the nominee said he has a brief about the big people including some MPs reportedly holding title deeds for some parcels of forestland there.

The titles, he said, will be revoked within a month once appointed.

“In the last two years, some people bought illegal title deeds, and I think it will be the first place I will visit,” he said.

“I have been briefed, I have listened to experts. Forestry will be my business, grabbers of forestland will be my business.” 

According to Duale, corruption was the greatest threat to national security and “our existence” than even al Shabab.

Oloolua is an Indigenous tropical forest located in Nairobi’s Karen neighbourhood.

Duale did not give the names of the grabbers.

Wetang'ula assured the nominee that they would support him as Parliament "if only you do the right thing"

As part of the plans to increase the forest cover, Duale said they have mapped out all the areas to be targeted.