Africa-Press – Kenya. The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has dismissed reports circulating online that a school was demolished during an operation to remove illegal structures in Makutani Forest, Baringo County, terming the claims misleading and aimed at inciting conflict.
In a statement, KFS said it conducted an operation on January 3, 2026, to secure Makutani Forest following what it described as recent attempts to grab gazetted forest land through the erection of unauthorized structures.
“Kenya Forest Service undertook an operation on 3rd January, 2026, to secure Makutani forest, in Baringo County,” the agency said, adding that the exercise involved the removal of illegal structures that had been put up in recent months.
According to KFS, contrary to claims circulating on social media, the demolished structure was not a school serving local residents.
The agency said investigations established that the structure in question was a two-roomed iron sheet building erected deep inside the forest at Lekirati area.
“The facts about this site is that a two–roomed iron sheet structure was erected at Lekirati area deep inside the forest, to defeat its gazettment through the directive of a local leader,” KFS said.
The agency noted that the construction of the structure contravened the Forest Conservation and Management Act No. 34 of 2016, which bars the erection of buildings within gazetted forests unless expressly permitted and upon payment of a prescribed fee.
“This is in contravention of the Forest Conservation and Management Act No. 34 of 2016, which prohibits erection of any building within a gazetted forest except where the same is allowed for a prescribed fee,” the statement said.
KFS further explained that the presence of the structure posed a security threat and risked legitimizing encroachment into the protected forest area.
“The existence of this structure posed a security challenge, which attempted to legitimize encroachment and settlement by pastoral communities in the gazetted forest, thereby defeating the forest conservation agenda,” the agency said.
As a result, KFS said it took action to demolish the structure as part of its mandate to protect forest resources and safeguard public land.
“Therefore, action was taken to demolish the structure,” the statement said, adding that patrols have since been intensified to prevent further encroachment.
“Patrols are ongoing to secure the forest from any other attempts to encroach upon it,” KFS said.
The agency warned that reports suggesting otherwise were intended to inflame tensions in an already volatile area.
“Any other reports to the contrary are meant to create conflict in an area that is already prone to insecurity and should therefore be disregarded,” KFS said.
