Kenya: The Acting Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Alex Lemarkoko, has today officially opened the Recruits Course No. 01/2023, which will see the training of Forest Rangers by the Forest Law Enforcement Academy (FoLEA) Paramilitary Training School at the National Youth Service Training School in Gilgil Nakuru County.
The training of the Forest Ranger comes as a result of a Presidential Directive for KFS to employ additional Forest Rangers to bolster the government’s commitment to increase the country’s forest cover to beyond 30% by 2032. The Service is also in the process of recruiting additional technical officers.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the course, Lemarkoko congratulated the recruits and urged them to work hard during their nine-month training programme to eventually come out as a valued addition to the KFS family.
The Ag. CCF thanked the President for agreeing to employ more forest rangers saying that the Service was severely understaffed, especially in the area of forest protection, a situation that was hampering effective forest management. He urged the recruits to observe discipline, noting that forest management requires people of high integrity.
The Ag. CCF thanked the NYS for availing training facilities to the Service at their Gilgil Paramilitary Training School, saying that it was a continuation of a longtime working relationship between the two organisations. He noted that 30% of the recruits were NYS graduates.
While speaking to the instructors, Lemarkoko thanked them for their Service and urged them to make sure they mould the recruits into the best personnel in forest protection and other national duties.
Present during the event were the Deputy Commanding Officer of NYS Gilgil Training School, Anne Njoroge; the Acting KFS Commandant, David Chege; the Manager of Human Resources, Mrs Julianna Ochieng. The Deputy Commandant, Mr Wilson Leboo; the Regional Forest Conservator for Mau, Mr Francis Kariuki; the Principal Corporate Communications Officer, Ms Anne Kaari, Commandant of FoLEA SSP. Appollinary Mwandigha and the KFS Chaplain SP. Amos Ololdapash, among other officers.
