The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has been forced to act after concerns were raised over reports of encroachment in the Ngong Road Forest.
Concerns were first raised by the Green Belt Movement (GBM), which flagged the construction of a luxury facility adjacent to the forest sanctuary, warning that the activity threatened a protected green space vital for water catchment and biodiversity conservation.
In a letter addressed to KFS Chief Executive Officer and Chief Conservator Alexander Lemarkoko on Thursday, May 16, GBM called for urgent intervention, warning of the long-term risks posed by private development in Nairobi’s critical urban forests.
Responding to the uproar, KFS on Friday, May 17, announced that it has halted the flagged construction in Ngong Road Forest, which it said is a bush eco-camp.
Kenya Forest Service halts construction in Ngong Road Forest
The agency said that all activities related to the project had been suspended pending further consultations, adding that it is committed to convening a roundtable discussion with all stakeholders to address the controversy.
“To handle this matter, Kenya Forest Service will convene a roundtable discussion with all stakeholders to address all concerns. As of now, all activities relating to development of the eco-camp stands suspended,” read part of the statement.
KFS has, however, defended the project stating that the investor had been awarded a five-year Special Use License through what it described as an open and transparent process.
The agency also clarified that no trees had been cleared in the area under development, which it said is a natural glade—an open section within the forest with bushes and grass but no trees.
“The eco-camp is being developed in an area which has been clearly captured in the Ngong Road Forest green master plan as an ecotourism zone. The master plan was developed, verified and adopted by stakeholders following intensive public participation. The project to develop a bush eco-camp was approved procedurally having been assessed and no extreme negative environmental impacts were identified,” the statement adds.
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KFS further acknowledged internal tensions within the Ngong Road Forest Association (NRFA), a community-based group that co-manages the forest.
According to the agency, some of the current objections to the project stem from a failed prior application by one NRFA member to develop a “Green Kids Museum” on the same site.
“This same person, in collaboration with other members of a known Civil Society, has created the misinformation that is currently circulating concerning development of the eco-camp,” KFS alleged.
Green Belt Movement issues more demands
This suspension followed strong advocacy by the Green Belt Movement, which in a statement on Friday welcomed the pause as a “significant and necessary first step in upholding the integrity of one of Nairobi’s most important urban green spaces.”
“We are deeply encouraged by the swift and widespread public response especially your voices online, in community forums, and through partner organizations that made it clear that our forests are not for sale. Your engagement has been instrumental in pushing back against secretive and unsustainable development,” GBM said.
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However, the organization has cautioned that the pause is not the end of the matter, raising a series of unresolved questions that it says must be addressed transparently.
Key among these is the identity of the private developer behind the controversial project, which remains unknown to the public.
GBM is also questioning the process through which permits and access to a protected forest were granted, demanding clarity on the legality of the approvals.
The organization has further called for the immediate release of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, noting that such a document is critical in evaluating the potential ecological effects of any development within forested areas.
Other major concerns are whether any meaningful public participation occurred before the project was greenlit or whether any portion of Ngong Road Forest has been quietly excised to accommodate private development.
“Until these questions are answered transparently, the threat to our forests is far from over,” GBM maintained.
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