The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has clarified reports of an impending hiving off of 51.64 acres of Karura Forest to facilitate the expansion of Kiambu Road.
In a statement released on Wednesday following reports of the Greenbelt Movement suing the government for the same, KFS debunked the report in a social media statement.
“Kiambu Road wayleave was gazetted in 1951 and hence has been in existence within Karura Gazetted Forest since the pre-independence era,” part of the statement.
“Therefore the intended expansion of Kiambu Road will be within the wayleave and the notion that Karura Forest is being given out for expansion of Kiambu Road is false, save for the planned interchange measuring 2.2Ha (5.4Acres).”
A traffic snarl up along Kiambu Road on Sunday, September 2, 2021.
Kenyans.co.ke
Earlier on Wednesday, the Greenbelt Movement announced that it had filed a court case contesting the purported plan by the government.
“The Green Belt Movement has moved to court to stop the government’s plan to annex 51.64 acres of Karura Forest for expansion of Kiambu Road,” they wrote on X.
“Kenyans, Karura is our heritage and we must act now to stop this malicious encroachment.”
To stress how harmful to the ecosystem the encroachment would be, they clarified that the 51.64 acres of land was equivalent to 28 standard football pitches.
Founded by the late environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Mathai, the movement champions the conservation of the environment and lobbies against harmful practices by the government.
Currently, they are in the process of suing the Nairobi County Government for their decision to privatise the Central and Uhuru Parks and allow developers to erect businesses like a controversial nightclub in the middle of Uhuru Park.
Upon the county assembly passing the motion on December 3, the lobby group hit back threatening another lawsuit.
“Not again Governor Sakaja. Uhuru Park and Central Park are public property. We will not watch as you privatise the only remaining green spaces in Nairobi. See you back in court on December 10, 2024, for the hearing of the ongoing petition about these two parks,” their X post on December 3 read.
A picture of the manmade lake at the Uhuru Park.
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