NAIROBI, KENYA — The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has announced it will convene a roundtable discussion involving all relevant stakeholders to address concerns surrounding the development of a bush eco-camp within the sanctuary block of Ngong Forest.
In an official statement released on Saturday 17, May 2025, KFS indicated that all ongoing activities related to the eco-camp’s construction have been suspended.
This announcement follows earlier clarifications from the agency asserting that the site of the proposed eco-camp in the Ngong Forest’s sanctuary block is neither on unlawfully acquired land nor does its development entail forest destruction.
KFS explained that the designated area is a glade, defined as a natural opening within a forest that typically consists only of bushes and grass, without any trees. Consequently, the agency maintains that no trees have been cleared during the initial stages of the eco-camp’s development.
According to KFS, the eco-camp project aligns with the Ngong Road Forest green master plan, which designates the area as an ecotourism zone.
“The master plan was developed, verified and adopted by stakeholders following intensive public participation, and the project to develop a bush eco-camp was approved procedurally, having been assessed, and no extreme negative environmental impacts were identified,” the statement read.
The Kenya Forest Service further stated that a Special Use License was duly approved in accordance with the law, which permits non-extractive uses of natural forests as outlined in the Forest Participation Regulations and guided by Legal Notice No. 21 of 2016, including applicable fees and charges.
KFS also clarified the role of the Ngong Road Forest Association, a Community Forest Association that co-manages the forest in collaboration with the Service, as stipulated in the Forest Conservation and Management Act, 2016.
The agency noted that the association has experienced internal disagreements among its members. Specifically, KFS highlighted that one member had previously applied to develop a Green Kids Museum Project on the same eight-acre site now earmarked for the eco-camp.
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However, this applicant was unable to proceed due to financial constraints related to the special-use license.
KFS alleges that this same individual, in conjunction with other members of a civil society organization, is responsible for the misinformation currently circulating regarding the eco-camp’s development.
KFS characterized this as a clear instance of bias and encouraged the public to seek clarification directly from the Kenya Forest Service for any information pertaining to gazetted forests.
