The Environment and Land Court (ELC) has denied the Kenya National Highways Authority's (KENHA) plea to acquire 51.64 hectares of Karura Forest land for road expansion.
KENHA had requested to acquire the forest land to facilitate the expansion of the Kiambu Road, as licensed to KENHA by the Kenya Forest Services.
The ruling issued on August 14 was revealed by the Green Belt Movement (GBM), which was among the conservationists, civil society groups, and residents who have long opposed the encroachment of Karura Forest, one of Nairobi's green spaces. ''The ELC Court has ruled that only 0.1233 hectares of Karura Forest can be touched in the expansion of Kiambu Road and not 51.64 acres as licensed to KENHA by KFS,'' the statement by the Green Belt Movement read in part.
Aerial view of Karura Forest taken on March 15, 2019.
