President William Ruto has announced a ban on furniture imports while lifting the logging moratorium in the Mau Forest Complex. Speaking in Elburgon, Molo, on Monday, October 27, the Head of State said the move is aimed at revitalizing Kenya’s timber and furniture industries, which provide livelihoods for thousands of Kenyans.
Ruto stated that logging will resume under strict regulation, allowing only the harvesting of mature trees. The President emphasized that this approach will balance environmental conservation with economic empowerment for communities dependent on forestry.
“We shall reopen this timber factory here in Elburgon because I have told my Minister of Trade, Lee Kinyanjui, that this tendency of importing furniture seats and beds from China must end. We will use our wood to make furniture,” Ruto declared during his address.
The President highlighted that Kenya has sufficient raw materials to produce high-quality furniture domestically, eliminating the need to rely on foreign imports. According to him, this policy shift will boost local manufacturing, create jobs for youth, and strengthen Kenya’s self-reliance in the furniture sector.
Ruto further revealed that the government plans to establish new wood-processing factories across the country to ensure the full utilization of commercial trees. The initiative, he said, will be a key driver in Kenya’s industrial growth while supporting sustainable forest management practices.
During the event, Ruto joined other government officials in a tree-planting exercise at the Mau Forest Complex, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to environmental restoration even as timber production resumes.
The President’s directive marks a significant policy change, aiming to balance conservation efforts with industrial and employment growth in the forestry sector.
