Karura Forest
The Green Belt Movement has protested the Kenya Forest Service’s move to take over the Karura Forest.
In a statement on Friday, the movement said the move by KFS is in direct contravention of the Karura Forest Management Plan (2021-2041).
“Karura Forest is a product of blood and sweat, a fight led by Prof. Wangari Maathai and others. This brazen move comes shortly after the Friends of Karura Community Forest Association (FKFCFA), jointly with GBM in Petition 104 of 2024, successfully defending Karura against the same KFS,” read part of the statement.
The movement called on Kenyans to stay vigilant and speak out against the takeover of the Karura Forest by KFS.
“If Karura is reclaimed, their right to nature, safety, dignity, and courage and resilience, a place where Kenyans not only thrive as a symbol of what is possible when people stand together for the environment,” the Green Belt Movement stated.
On Thursday, KFS issued a statement announcing that all visitor payments for Karura Forest services will now be processed through the government’s e-Citizen digital platform.
KFS noted that all payments for gate entry, parking, and related services in Karura Forest, including the Sigiria block, will now be paid through the eCitizen Paybill number 222222.
“Kenya Forest Service wishes to inform all visitors that, in line with the Government of Kenya’s directive on the onboarding of all government services and closure of non-designated payment platforms (National Treasury Circular CAB/ADM.2A/6 Vol.1/(122)), all payments for gate entry, parking, and related services in Karura Forest, including the Sigiria block, will be made exclusively through the official e-Citizen platform (Paybill 222222) effective Friday, 29th August 2025,” read the statement in part.
The Karura Forest has, over the last decade, been co-managed by the Friends of Karura Forest (FKF), a community trust.
Karura is a popular recreational and conservation space in Nairobi that attracts thousands of visitors for jogging, cycling, nature walks, and picnics.
Also Read: KFS Suspends Construction of Eco-Camp Inside Ngong Forest
