Nairobi — A bitter power struggle is threatening to paralyse operations at the State Department of Forestry amid accusations of corruption, nepotism, and open hostility between Principal Secretary Gitonga Mugambi and Cabinet Secretary Deborah Mulongo.
The Public Service Commission (PSC) recently revoked the appointment of George Tarus as Secretary for Forest Development (SFD), ruling that he did not meet the qualifications for the position.
Court filings in Petition No. E100 reveal that Tarus was irregularly deployed to the ministry by PS Mugambi and served in an acting capacity since 2018 — a move that contravened PSC regulations.
Despite the PSC decision, Tarus continues to report to office, allegedly boasting of powerful political connections. Ministry insiders accuse him of arrogance and bias, rewarding loyalists with lucrative foreign trips while sidelining senior technical officers.
The controversy has deepened rifts between PS Mugambi and CS Mulongo.
While the CS has remained tight-lipped, sources close to the ministry say Mugambi views Mulongo as “naïve” and lacking experience in public administration, a criticism linked to her brief stint at the Health docket before being reassigned to Environment.
Mugambi, who is said to have handpicked Tarus, allegedly dismissed Mulongo as unqualified, claiming she was only appointed due to gender and political bargaining within Ford Kenya.
At the heart of the tussle are multi-million shilling tenders tied to tree seedling supply and the government’s ambitious 15 billion tree-growing programme.
Insiders claim procurement processes across forestry-linked parastatals have been influenced by the PS, raising questions over transparency and accountability.
The Employment and Labour Relations Court, in documents seen by Nairobi Exposed, established that Tarus lacked the mandatory 15 years’ service in the forestry department and the minimum three years as a deputy director required for the post.
His deployment to the ministry was also deemed unlawful as the PSC had not formally seconded him.
In his defence, Tarus insists his appointment was legal, citing constitutional values of meritocracy and approvals from the Kenya Forest Service board. He describes himself as an experienced forestry and climate change professional, serving as the national focal point for REDD+ and a UNFCCC-recognised expert.
The row has left the ministry fractured, with the professional body, the Forestry Society of Kenya (FSK), criticised for remaining silent despite Tarus serving as its vice-chair. Stakeholders warn that the dysfunction is undermining the National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Strategy (2023–2032) and President William Ruto’s flagship 15 billion tree initiative.
Analysts note that forest conservation has long been dogged by political interference, citing past attempts to weaken the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) by shifting funds to the defunct Kenya Water Towers Agency.
Billions have since been poured into initiatives such as the Green Schools Project and the national tree cover strategies, yet implementation remains weak, with no clear monitoring, evaluation, or funding framework.
With mistrust at the top and allegations of tender manipulation swirling, eyes are now on CS Mulongo to restore order at the Forestry Ministry. For now, the so-called “tender wars” remain a ticking time bomb in the government’s climate agenda.
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