The court has issued orders regarding the alleged construction of secret National Youth Service (NYS) barracks in Karura Forest, highlighting the dispute over development activities in the protected forest.
Friends of Karura Community Forest Association (FKF) have confirmed a court order to immediately halt the construction in the forest.
On February 26, outrage erupted after the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) cleared trees in Karura Forest near the Rangers Village, allegedly to make way for a secret NYS barracks plan.
In a statement on March 25, Friends of Karura Forest welcomed a court intervention to stop construction at Rangers Village inside Karura Forest, describing it as a “significant step forward.”
“Friends of Karura Forest have called the Court order to stop building work at Rangers Village inside the forest ‘a significant step forward’,” the statement confirmed.
How the Court Stopped NYS Barracks Construction in Karura Forest
According to the statement issued, Friends of Karura Community Forest Association and the Green Belt Movement filed a court case after the government announced plans to house National Youth Service personnel in container barracks at Rangers Village within Karura Forest.
The proposed site had been cleared, with trees cut down and heavy machinery used to flatten the area, which was cordoned off by the public and media.
The conservationists noted that during a court site visit, representatives from Friends of Karura and the Kenya Forest Service documented ongoing construction and evidence of land clearance.
Following the visit, the court issued orders halting all construction and development pending further directions.
Also Read: Kenyans to Be Restricted from Visiting Select Areas in Karura Forest After Heavy Rains
“After the visit, the Court ordered that the construction and development should stop pending further directions from the Court,” the conservationists confirmed.
Government Confirms Withdrawal of NYS Barracks Plan
According to the FKF statement, the government told a joint meeting with the Kenya Forest Service that plans to house National Youth Service personnel in Karura Forest had been withdrawn, although no official written communication was provided despite repeated requests.
“Government told a joint meeting of Friends of Karura and Kenya Forest Service it had withdrawn plans to house the NYS personnel inside the forest, but there was no written official communication despite repeated requests,” it noted.
Also Read: Outrage Over Karura Forest Clearance for Alleged Secret Barracks Plan
FKF further noted that Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi affirmed over the weekend that “nobody is going to touch Karura Forest.”
The statement noted that under the current Karura Forest Management Plan, rangers living in Rangers Village are to be relocated to the Kenya Forest Service Headquarters, and the land is to be restored to an indigenous forest.
FKF said it warmly welcomed the court’s intervention, describing it as a significant step forward, and indicated it would continue focusing on co-managing the forest and planting thousands of indigenous trees during the current rains.
