NAIROBI, Kenya — The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) says approximately 21.8 hectares of land claimed by Muthaiga Golf Club fall within the legally gazetted boundaries of Karura Forest, escalating a dispute that has temporarily disrupted operations at the Nairobi golf club.
The dispute emerged after Muthaiga Golf Club temporarily restricted access to its Front Nine, covering Holes 2 to 9, following what the club described as an invasion of the course by KFS.
KFS has now set out its position, saying the disputed parcel is LR No. 13134/3, which the golf club claims to own.
The forest agency said it plans to meet the club at its headquarters to seek an amicable resolution to the competing ownership claims.
KFS Claims 21.8 Hectares of Golf Course Falls in Karura
In a statement issued Tuesday, September 15, KFS said the parcel claimed by Muthaiga Golf Club encroaches onto the gazetted Karura Forest by approximately 21.8 hectares.
The agency said the dispute arose from the differing positions of the two institutions over ownership and the legally recognised boundary between the golf course and the forest.
KFS maintained that the contested section forms part of Karura Forest and said the matter would now be discussed with the golf club.
“The Forest covering approximately 1,041.1 hectares was declared as a Forest Reserve vide Proclamation No. 44 of 1932,” KFS said.
The agency added that Karura was later declared a Central Forest under Legal Notice No. 174 of May 20, 1964.
Karura Forest Survey Dates Back to 1920s
KFS said Karura Forest was surveyed in the early 1920s, with the survey registered in 1923.
According to the agency, the forest covers approximately 1,041.1 hectares.
It was subsequently declared a Forest Reserve in 1932 before being designated a Central Forest in 1964.
KFS is relying on these historical survey and gazettement records in advancing its position over the disputed section of the golf course.
Muthaiga Golf Club Closes Eight Holes
The dispute had already affected operations at Muthaiga Golf Club.
In an internal memo dated Tuesday, club chairman Dennis Mwirigi informed members that KFS had taken over access to the Front Nine, from Hole 2 through Hole 9, after claiming that the section falls within Karura Forest.
“We wish to inform you that the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has invaded the course and taken over access to the Front Nine, from Hole No. 2 through to Hole No. 9,” Mwirigi said.
The club said the affected holes would remain inaccessible to members until further notice as its board worked to resolve the dispute.
The closure affected eight of the club’s 18 holes.
The driving range and parking area were not affected.
Club Disputes KFS Position
The golf club’s communication described KFS as “purporting” that the affected section forms part of Karura Forest.
Mwirigi said the club’s board was handling the matter and seeking an urgent resolution.
“The Board is seized of the matter and is trying its level best to resolve the situation as urgently as possible,” he said.
The club’s position places the dispute around the precise boundary separating its property from the gazetted forest.
The ownership claims have not been conclusively resolved through the latest statements from either side.
KFS and Club to Meet
KFS said a meeting would be held at its headquarters between the forest agency and Muthaiga Golf Club.
The purpose of the meeting will be to address the competing ownership positions and seek an amicable solution.
The development could provide a route for the parties to establish the disputed boundary without an immediate escalation into a prolonged legal battle.
KFS’s latest statement marks its first detailed public response to the club’s earlier allegations that the agency had taken over part of its course.
Dispute Centres on Long-Standing Forest Boundary
The disagreement comes in an area where the boundary between Karura Forest and neighbouring properties has previously been contested.
Muthaiga Golf Club sits immediately next to Karura Forest, making the precise location of the forest boundary central to the current dispute.
KFS’s latest position is that part of the land claimed by the golf club lies within the forest’s gazetted boundaries.
The club, meanwhile, maintains that the affected section forms part of its golf course and has moved to resolve the dispute through its board.
The outcome of the planned meeting is expected to clarify the competing positions and determine access to the affected section of the course.
Eight Holes Remain at Centre of Dispute
For Muthaiga Golf Club members, the immediate issue remains access to Holes 2 to 9.
The club initially said the Front Nine would remain closed until further notice while the board addressed the matter.
The KFS statement has now put a specific figure on the land at the centre of the disagreement, identifying approximately 21.8 hectares of LR No. 13134/3 as falling within Karura Forest according to the agency’s records.
The two sides are expected to engage at KFS headquarters as they seek to resolve the ownership and boundary dispute.
