The government has banned the burning of charcoal in Kerio Valley following reports that some traders are illegally felling indigenous trees in the area.
Elgeyo Marakwet county commissioner Fredrick Ndambuki has said wanton destruction of the trees will worsen effects of drought in the region.
The administrator also banned use of power saws adding that the security teams will also arrest charcoal transporters operating in Kerio Valley at night.
He further told licensed sawmillers to restrict their works in areas they are authorised adding that claims of unfair issuance of tree harvesting licenses will be investigated.
Ndambuki on Friday said that disputes over allocation of trees to sawmillers will be resolved amicably.
"There is a stipulated procedure of issuance of licenses to saw millers. Investigations will be carried out to establish whether there are unfair practices," he said.
Ambrose Kiplagat, Kapchemutwa MCA, said: "We will continue to demand that logging is stopped in this area until KFS stops side-lining local sawmillers."
He accused the Kenya Forest Service of being unfair in the process of issuing licences to the loggers.
Tambach MCA Musa Limo said he is considering drafting a bill to regulate logging and ensure local sawmillers benefit from 70 per cent share.
Locals said Community Forest Associations are not consulted before the logging is carried out.
Benjamin Mbusi, a Kapkago CFA chairman, said some local sawmillers took bank loans to buy machines but ended not getting trees.
Area KFS ecosystem conservator Andrew Soi dismissed the claims, saying millers are given trees according to their tree felling and milling capacity.