Tag: Ngong Forest

The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has suspended the construction of a controversial eco-camp facility in Ngong Road Forest’s Sanctuary block pending further consultations with stakeholders.

This decision follows concerns raised by environmental groups about potential forest encroachment.

According to a press statement released on May 17, 2025, KFS has halted all activities related to the development of the bush eco-camp, which had been described as a “posh camping facility” in earlier reports.

The Green Belt Movement (GBM) had demanded immediate answers from KFS regarding the development, asking for the developer’s identity, details of the approval process, and a copy of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report issued by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).

In its response, KFS defended the initial approval, stating that the facility was being constructed in a designated ecotourism zone according to the Ngong Road Forest green master plan.

The service emphasized that the site is a natural glade—an opening within the forest containing only bushes and grass—and that no trees have been cleared for the project.

“The project to develop a bush eco-camp was approved procedurally, having been assessed, and no extreme negative environmental impacts were identified,” KFS stated.

However, KFS also suggested that the controversy may have been instigated by a member of the Ngong Road Forest Association who was previously denied permission to construct a Green Kids Museum Project on the same site.

According to KFS, this individual collaborated with members of “a known Civil Society” to spread misinformation about the eco-camp.

This isn’t the first development controversy in Ngong Forest.

Just months earlier, KFS and NEMA suspended licenses for a planned golf course and restaurant in the same forest following public outcry.

Then Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale directed a fresh review of the entire process.

To address the current situation, KFS announced it will convene a roundtable discussion with all stakeholders to address concerns about the eco-camp development.

The Ngong Road Forest is co-managed by KFS and the Ngong Road Forest Association under Kenya’s Forest Conservation and Management Act of 2016, which provides for certain non-extractive uses of natural forests through Special Use Licenses.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Green Belt Movement (GBM) has raised alarm over the alleged construction of a luxury hotel within Ngong Road Forest, a critical ecological sanctuary in Nairobi.

In a letter dated May 15, 2025, addressed to Alexander Lemarkoko, the Chief Conservator of Forests at the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), GBM demanded urgent clarification regarding the mysterious development, citing significant environmental, legal, and ethical concerns.

Ngong Road Forest is a vital biodiversity hotspot, providing essential ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, air purification, and water catchment protection.

It also serves as a recreational green space for Nairobi residents and a habitat for diverse flora and fauna, including endangered species.

GBM emphasized the forest’s role in sustaining the city’s ecological balance, making any encroachment a matter of public concern.

The organization is seeking three key pieces of information from KFS: the identity of the developer behind the hotel project, the process through which they were granted access to construct within a protected forest area, and a copy of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report and license issued by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) for the project.

This development follows a similar controversy in recent months when KFS and NEMA suspended licenses previously issued to Karura Golf Range Limited for a golf course and restaurant in the same forest.

The suspension came after public outcry and a directive from former Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, who called for a fresh review of the approval process.

The licenses, initially granted by NEMA, KFS, and the Kenya Pipeline Company, were halted due to concerns over the threat to Nairobi’s dwindling urban green spaces.

Environmentalists have long warned that such developments endanger the city’s ecological health, and GBM’s latest letter underscores the ongoing tension between conservation efforts and private development interests.

The lack of transparency surrounding the luxury hotel project has fueled speculation and concern among activists and residents alike, who fear the gradual erosion of Nairobi’s natural heritage.

As the situation unfolds, all eyes are on KFS and NEMA to address GBM’s demands and provide clarity on the future of Ngong Road Forest.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​