The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has suspended construction of a controversial eco-tourism project in Ngong Road Forest, following public uproar and a formal complaint from the Green Belt Movement (GBM), which raised alarm over possible encroachment and environmental risks.
The outcry was triggered by reports of a luxury eco-camp being developed adjacent to the forest sanctuary, with GBM warning that the project threatened a critical green space essential for biodiversity and Nairobi’s water catchment.
In a letter dated May 16, GBM urged KFS Chief Conservator Alexander Lemarkoko to intervene and halt what it called a potentially harmful development.
The organization questioned the legality and transparency of the project’s approval, citing long-term threats to the forest’s ecological health.
In response, KFS issued a statement on May 17, announcing an immediate suspension of all project activities pending further stakeholder consultations.
“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 stand suspended,” read the statement.
Despite halting the project, KFS defended the eco-camp, saying it had been granted a five-year Special Use License through what it described as a transparent and consultative process.
The site under development, KFS added, is a natural glade an open area without trees designated for ecotourism under the Ngong Road Forest Master Plan.
“The project was approved after intensive public participation. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) found no extreme negative impacts,” KFS said.
KFS also addressed internal tensions within the Ngong Road Forest Association (NRFA), alleging that current objections may stem from a disgruntled member whose previous bid to develop a “Green Kids Museum” at the same site was rejected.
“This same person, in collaboration with members of a known civil society organization, has created the misinformation currently circulating,” the agency claimed.
Green Belt Movement: “A Necessary First Step”
The Green Belt Movement welcomed the suspension, calling it a “significant and necessary first step” toward protecting one of Nairobi’s most threatened urban forests.
“We are deeply encouraged by the swift and widespread public response… Your engagement has been instrumental in pushing back against secretive and unsustainable development,” GBM said in a statement.
However, the organization warned that the pause does not resolve the issue, raising several unanswered questions, including: Who is the private developer behind the project?, What legal procedures were followed to issue the license?, Has any part of the forest been quietly excised?, Was there meaningful public participation?, Where is the full EIA report?
“Until these questions are answered transparently, the threat to our forests is far from over,” GBM asserted.
The KFS roundtable discussion with stakeholders is expected to clarify the status of the eco-camp and determine whether the project can proceed under stricter oversight or be permanently shelved.
In the meantime, activists, conservationists, and residents continue to call for stronger protections of Nairobi’s remaining green spaces, citing increasing pressure from private development and urban expansion.
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