The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has assured Kenyans of the safety of Nairobi City Park Forest following allegations of land-grabbing attempts.
Addressing members of the public on Friday, March 28, KFS revealed that there had been several attempts to grab the forest land, with the most recent attempt made by a nearby school.
According to KFS, the school attempted to claim a parcel of the vast forest land to expand its field and parking space.
In a bid to secure the forest land, the school management convened a meeting with community members; however, the locals declined the proposal to take over the forest land for school expansion.
"The school has gone as far as calling for a meeting, during which community members rejected the proposal, as it would amount to the grabbing of a public asset," KFS revealed.
"This is not possible under the current dispensation, where the City Park Forest is protected under the Forest Conservation and Management Act, 2016," the Service added.
While addressing the matter, KFS cautioned members of the public against encroaching on forest land, warning that stern action would be taken against those who violate the law.
Additionally, the Service noted that plans were underway to boost ecotourism in the City Park forest with collaboration from various partners through the improvement of infrastructure and enhancement of security.
In June 2020, KFS took over the management of Nairobi City Park from the Nairobi County government, aiming to improve its management and conservation.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta issued a directive granting KFS the mandate to manage, recover, reclaim, restore, and protect the forest land.
Since 2020, the Kenya Forest Service has been actively engaging the nearby communities and stakeholders to help in the management of the park to avoid encroachment.
To strengthen the security of the large piece of land and prevent potential grabbing, the government deployed a team of rangers to guard the forest park.
