Two Men Found In Possession Of Over 500kgs Of Sandalwood

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 24- Two men have been arrested, after they were found in possession of over 500 kilos of sandalwood, by police.

The detectives intercepted the lorry ferrying the highly endangered species at night along the busy Nairobi-Nakuru highway within the Kijabe area in Kiambu County.

Joseph Nguro, 32, who was the man behind the wheel of the Isuzu truck ferrying the consignment and Stephen Ochieng,31, were arrested following the recovery of the product concealed as parcels destined for the Busia border.

The East African sandalwood was declared an endangered species in 2006 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) following its over-exploitation and burgeoning demand.

Its harvest was banned in Kenya in 2007.

Sandalwood is a class of woods from trees in the genus Santalum.

The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and, unlike many other aromatic woods, they retain their fragrance for decades.

Sandalwood oil is extracted from the woods for use. It is often cited as one of the most expensive woods in the world.

The misuse of this valuable resource is causing a loss of biodiversity and a source of medicine for local communities.

The increased over-exploitation of this wood in Kenya goes back to 2006, according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which lists the tree as threatened.

It is also on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.

The high demand from Asia for sandalwood oil also drives the trade. In many Asian communities, the oil is popular in socio-cultural and religious ceremonies and in traditional medicine. On the international market, one litre of sandalwood oil sells for as much as $3 000.

Sandalwood trafficking in the country is mostly facilitated by political leaders who use their leverage to exploit community resources for personal gain.

Criminal charges for trading in endangered or threatened species (section 92 of the Wildlife Conservation Management Act 2013) have been brought against Kenya Wildlife Service officers involved in sandalwood trafficking.

This, pundits say, shows that the very custodians of Kenya’s flora are part of these exploitative syndicates.

Further, it also highlights the governance challenges facing enforcement of environmental laws and the need for better oversight of those tasked with protecting public resources.