The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has explained the recent hike in park fees at the iconic Karura Forest amid concerns and pressure from stakeholders, including Kenyans. In an interview on Tuesday, September 2, KFS Chief Conservator of Forests, Alex Lemarkoko, confirmed that park fees were inevitably affected after all payments for entry, annual passes, parking and other services were transferred to the government's eCitizen platform.
According to Lemarkoko, the KFS, like other state institutions, was required to comply with the Public Finance Act (PFM), hence the shift to the eCitizen platform. "Karura was not charging VAT before, but now, due to the involvement of the government and a county process, VAT must be paid," he explained. A Kenya Forest Service ranger interacts with a Kenyan at Karura forest on Saturday, August 30, 2025.
Photo Kenya Forest Service To this effect, for every Ksh100 paid at the Karura Forest gate, an additional Ksh16 VAT is applicable. Lemarkoko was also put to task to explain why fees rose from Ksh100 to Ksh166 despite VAT amounting to Ksh16.
The Chief Conservator of Forests explained that it also had to do with the eCitizen platform, which subjects users to a convenience fee for every transaction. He went on, "For eCitizen, we have what we call a convenient fee, which is a transaction fee.
