Elburgon – October 27, 2025

Kenya will no longer import furniture from countries such as China, President William Ruto announced on Monday, declaring that the nation should build its own future from its own forests.

Speaking in Elburgon, Molo, a town once known for its thriving timber industry, the president also lifted the long-standing ban on logging in the Mau Forest Complex, saying the government would now allow the cutting of only mature trees.

“We shall reopen this timber factory here in Elburgon,” Mr Ruto said to a cheering crowd. “I have told my Minister of Trade, Lee Kinyanjui, that this habit of importing furniture—chairs and beds from China—must stop. We will use our own wood to make furniture.”

The president said the decision was part of his wider plan to revive Kenya’s manufacturing sector and create more jobs for young people. “Furniture to be used in Kenya will come from timber grown here, made by our youth,” he said.

Ruto explained that Kenya already has enough raw materials to meet its domestic demand and should not rely on foreign imports. He added that the Trade Ministry has been directed to draft a plan to implement the new policy immediately.

The president further announced that, starting next week, the government will begin selling mature trees in public forests to local sawmillers — a move he said will help revive industries that collapsed after the 2018 logging moratorium.

“I will meet sawmillers here tomorrow,” Ruto said. “We want them to bring back the wood-processing factory that once stood here. This will create jobs and drive our economy forward.”

The announcement marks a major shift in Kenya’s environmental and industrial policy. The ban on logging, imposed seven years ago to curb deforestation and protect water catchment areas, had sparked sharp debate between conservationists and local communities dependent on timber.

Environmental groups have long warned that reopening forests for commercial activity could threaten fragile ecosystems, particularly in the Mau Complex — one of East Africa’s most vital water towers.

But the president insisted that the new policy will balance economic revival with environmental protection, saying only mature trees will be harvested while aggressive reforestation continues.

Ruto reaffirmed his government’s commitment to planting 15 billion trees in the next decade, describing it as a cornerstone of Kenya’s climate strategy.

“We are going to plant more trees than we cut,” he said. “That way, we protect our forests and still give our people work.”

For residents of Elburgon, the news was met with cautious optimism. Many sawmillers have struggled to stay afloat since the ban, forcing hundreds out of work. “We just hope this time the government keeps its word and protects both the trees and our jobs,” said a local mill worker.

As Kenya prepares to restart its timber trade, all eyes will be on how the government enforces its promise — to harvest responsibly while building a future rooted in sustainability.