Court drastically reduces Karura Forest land for Kiambu Road expansion, revokes special licenses

In a landmark ruling, the Environment and Land Court in Milimani has scaled down the portion of Karura Forest allocated for Kiambu Road expansion to just 0.1233 hectares, a fraction of the 51.64 acres initially approved by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and licensed to the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA).

Delivered on Thursday, the court also revoked two special user licenses issued by KFS, citing a lack of public participation.

The decision follows a petition by the Greenbelt Movement filed in December last year, challenging the government’s plan to extend the busy road through a large section of the protected forest without proper environmental approvals.

The petition argued that KFS had granted land under special user licenses without conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) through KFS or the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). The movement criticised the approval of recreational facilities and ablution blocks without the necessary EIA license, saying the plan favoured short-term interests over environmental sustainability.

“The petitioner contends that participants were never informed of the amount of land to be used, species to be displaced, biodiversity loss, or project alternatives, denying them the chance to provide concrete feedback,” court documents stated.

Greenbelt Movement sought the cancellation of agreements between the Government of Kenya and Sinohydro1 Corporation Limited or any other involved parties, arguing the process was rushed, flawed, and ignored critical legal and environmental safeguards.

The ruling is expected to set a precedent on public land allocations, reinforcing the importance of public involvement and compliance with environmental regulations before approving major infrastructure projects. It could also delay the dualing of Kiambu Road, a project criticized for its potential ecological impact on Karura Forest, one of Nairobi’s most valued green spaces.