The Green Belt Movement has strongly opposed the proposed amendment to Section 56(2) of the Forest Conservation and Management Act of 2016, which would allow the Kenya Forest Service to grant easements for public roads, public installations, and wayleaves for public utilities within public forests.
The organization argues that the amendment provides a dangerous legal road that might open up forests to infrastructure expansion, commercial interests, and eventual destruction under the cover of “public utility” and “public installations.”
The Movement advises Kenyans not to be mislead by the language used in the plan, which states that forests are not idle land ready for distribution.
Instead, they are regarded as essential ecosystems that serve as water towers, climatic shields, biodiversity reservoirs, national heritage sites, and
According to the statement, weakening protections for these ecosystems would have long-term environmental consequences.
Karura Forest: A Case of Repeated Pressure
The Green Belt Movement cites recent developments to illustrate existing risks to forest conservation. In 2024, an attempt was made to excise 51.64 hectares of Karura Forest for the expansion of Kiambu Road.
The project was suspended due to public resistance, legal action, and judicial involvement, which showed procedural errors and inadequate public engagement.
Despite this, the statement acknowledges that Karura Forest continues to experience pressure, including plans for security posts and barracks inside its borders.
The organisation also highlights ongoing concerns in the Aberdares, where a proposed 25-kilometre road threatens a key water catchment ecosystem.
The Aberdare Forest is described as essential to rivers, agriculture, livelihoods, and water security for millions of Kenyans.
Similarly, Ngong Road Forest is cited as an area experiencing increasing encroachment, including the construction of a luxury hotel facilitated through administrative approvals and early entry permits, as well as plans to allocate 10 hectares for a road connecting Bomas of Kenya and Talanta Stadium.
According to the Movement, these developments reflect a broader pattern in which infrastructure projects begin with roads and utilities and gradually lead to commercial expansion and loss of forest land.
Constitutional Safeguards and Governance Concerns
The proposed amendment is therefore viewed as an attempt to legalise and normalise this trend.
The statement further argues that the Constitution of Kenya clearly designates public forests as public land held in trust for citizens and protects them from unchecked allocation.
It warns that the amendment would weaken oversight, increase the risk of corruption, and undermine constitutional safeguards.
In light of climate change challenges, including droughts, floods, rising temperatures, and water insecurity, the Green Belt Movement terms the proposal reckless and irresponsible.
It calls on Kenyans, civil society, youth, faith leaders, environmental defenders, professionals, students, and communities to reject the amendment in its entirety.
The statement concludes that forests must be protected from destruction, emphasising that they are not for sale, not corridors for development-driven degradation, and must be preserved for present and future generations.
