Village leader seized over timber haul

Handeni. At least 721 logs of timber have been impounded in Handeni District, Tanga Region, in a crackdown against wanton cutting down of trees in reserve forests.

The acting district executive director (DED), Mr Simon Mdaki, said the logs were found at the residence of the chairman of a village in the area and that they were illegally harvested without the permit of the relevant authorities.

He said the seizure of the timber was a continuation of a campaign to save the remaining forests in the district which is often subjected to drought conditions due to massive afforestation in recent years.

The seized timber is worth Sh6.3 million. Mr Mdaki said the village leader is being questioned by the police on the haul which was to be sold to other dealers.

He commended the villagers who provided information that led to the seizure of the timber which, he said, was illegally harvested from Lugala forest reserve near the village.

“At a time we are fighting the vagaries of climate change due to deforestation, some people are mowing down our forests for their selfish ends,” he told reporters at the scene.

The acting DED said before the seizure they received a tip off from some people and laid an ambush during which the 721 timber pieces were found hidden in a house.

The acting district land and natural resources officer, Mr Napoleon Mlowe, said the district authorities would continue to be tough on illegal harvesters of forestry resources as a way to safeguard the environment.

He said it was pity that some local officials were involved in the wanton destruction of forestry resources, knowing too well that it was illegal and that it impacted on the natural environment.