Nairobi, Feb. 3 -- Rights group Kituo cha Sheria has sued the Kenya Forest Service and the Environment ministry seeking compensation for Kilifi residents over the uprooting of baobab trees and the export of the same to the United States.

The group says the decision of the government to permit a foreign company, Ariba SeaWeed International Limited, to uproot eight indigenous baobab trees is unlawful because the local communities were not involved.

The company was granted authority to uproot the trees in October 2022 leading to public outrage, which caused President William Ruto to intervene and stop the exercise.

According to Kituo cha Sheria, there was no public participation or consent of the residents allowing the foreign company to ...