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Environment PS Charles Sunkuli said on Sunday, March 18 The Ministry of Environment plans to install CCTV cameras in all state-owned forests to monitor and prevent deforestation and help in managing resources, Nation reported.
Speaking to journalists at his Olesentu home in Narok County, the PS said the ministry hops CCTV cameras will provide useful information on a wide range of forest management issues following an outcry over massive deforestation.
Environment and Forest Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko on Monday, March 19, however, dismissed the claims saying his office is unaware and has not approved any roll out of the cameras in the forests.
In a statement to newsrooms, the CS said his office is pursuing the conclusion of proposals to empower the Kenya forest rangers by providing them with the necessary equipment and resources to undertake their forest resources security and related management tasks. Those resources do not include CCTV.
The talk of monitoring forests through CCTV, however, aroused a debate on social media with many Kenyans giving their opinion on whether or not CCTVs are necessary.
Here are their thoughts on Twitter;
So, Kenya want to install CCTVs in forests yet babies are stolen in hospitals every day.
Let's get serious— Hon Lee Makwiny (@leemakwiny) March 19, 2018
Today in #Dumbassery... Because the cameras in the cities have been a roaring success in preventing crime? Sorry folks. Technology cannot be a substitute for actual willingness to catch and prosecute wrongdoers. https://t.co/2Ti1DdH593
— gathara (@gathara) March 18, 2018
This Kenyan govt should get serious..we have CCTVs in our major cities yet they've never helped to prosecute major crimes like assassinations which they capture and then get edited by the corrupt @NPSOfficial_KE to cover https://t.co/DFFYoEzrKV will they help in forests?— Martin Alphones (@AlphonesMartin) March 20, 2018
State to install CCTVs in forests: PS https://t.co/CeKlgAiF7j via @dailynation
— Henry Kuria (@HenryKuria) March 19, 2018
Was tempted to think its April fools' joke then remembered fools' day is still some 11 days away; so technology is now supposed to cure incompetence, grant and state capture
Pesa itatoka wapi? Jamani the Cctvs in towns dont even work! But anyway i mind my own business like @scheafferoo https://t.co/ZOiDJq2Zd9— Beverly. M. Gichiri (@olenkere) March 18, 2018
Comedy: We can't allow innovation & entrepreneurship (a solar power provider on an island which is off grid)) but we want to install CCTVs - which need some form of power + connectivity - to monitor forests.— Frank Hook (@FrankHook) March 19, 2018