NAIROBI, Kenya — Green Belt Movement has strongly opposed proposed amendments to the Forest Conservation and Management Act 2016, warning that the changes could expose Kenya’s public forests to roads, utilities and commercial developments.
The environmental lobby accused the government of attempting to create a legal framework that would allow gradual encroachment into protected forests under the guise of public infrastructure projects.
At the centre of the dispute is a proposed amendment to Section 56(2) of the law, which would give the Kenya Forest Service authority to issue easements for public roads, utilities and other installations within public forests.
In a public statement, the Green Belt Movement warned that references to “public utility” and “public installations” could be used to justify widespread infrastructure expansion and commercial interests inside forest ecosystems.
“Our forests are not empty land waiting to be allocated,” the organisation said. “They are our water towers, our climate shield, our biodiversity, our heritage and the lifeline of future generations.”
The movement cited several recent disputes over forest land as evidence of what it described as a growing pattern of encroachment through administrative approvals.
Among them was the 2024 proposal to excise 51.64 hectares of Karura Forest for the expansion of Kiambu Road. The project faced legal challenges and public protests before courts halted parts of the proposed allocation over procedural concerns and alleged lack of public participation.
The organisation also pointed to ongoing opposition against a proposed 25-kilometre road cutting through the Aberdare Range ecosystem, one of Kenya’s key water catchment areas.
Environmental campaigners argue that the Aberdares support rivers, agriculture and water supplies relied upon by millions of Kenyans.
At Ngong Road Forest, the Green Belt Movement said commercial pressure continues to increase through the construction of a luxury hotel and a proposed road linking Bomas of Kenya to Talanta Stadium.
The group alleged that developments are increasingly being introduced through temporary permits and administrative approvals that bypass environmental safeguards and adequate public participation.
“This is not a coincidence; it is a pattern where first comes a road, then utilities, then temporary access, then commercial developments,” the statement said.
The movement warned that weakening protections for forests would undermine constitutional safeguards protecting public land held in trust for Kenyans.
Environmental activists further argued that the proposed changes come at a time when Kenya is already grappling with climate-related challenges including drought, flooding, rising temperatures and water insecurity.
The organisation has now called on civil society groups, religious leaders, youth organisations and communities to oppose the amendment entirely.
“This is not just about trees,” the statement added. “If we remain silent today, tomorrow there may be no Karura, no Aberdares, no Ngong Road Forest and no public forests left to defend.”
