Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sherrif Nassir has explained the cutting down of trees in six public spaces across the county.
Through a statement, Nassir noted that the trees had posed a danger to the public, adding that the heavy rains expected soon could cause damage to the county and its people.
Nassir further clarified that the tree-cutting exercise was being conducted based on an assessment by the Department of Water, Natural Resources and Climate Change Resilience, and a resolution later issued by the County Disaster Management Committee.
“The County Government of Mombasa has taken note of growing public attention regarding the removal of select trees in key public spaces, including Railways Garden, Uhuru Garden, Forest Road, Kizingo Area, Pirates Beach, and Links Road,” Nassir stated.
“An assessment was conducted that identified several aged or weakened trees whose structural integrity has been compromised, posing a direct risk to human life, infrastructure, and public safety,” he added.
The governor acknowledged that despite the trees serving as homes to bat colonies and other species, the decision to proceed with pruning, trimming, or removal was not taken lightly. He added that the county was steadfast in balancing the safety of its residents with environmental stewardship.
To that effect, Nassir revealed that the county would immediately embark on a reforestation programme to curb any ecological impact and encourage conservation.
“To mitigate any ecological impact, the County Government has activated a reforestation plan and will immediately begin planting replacement trees as part of our broader commitment to urban greening and biodiversity conservation,” he said.
Even as Nassir maintained that the county’s stand on conservation was a top priority, he called upon Mombasa residents to play their part and alert county officials to trees that needed to be cut down.
He encouraged members of the public to support the efforts and to report any trees or environmental hazards they observe in their neighbourhoods that may pose a risk, promptly, to the Department of Water, Natural Resources and Climate Change Resilience.
It comes as tree-cutting exercises in public spaces have been met with uproar and resistance, especially in Nairobi, where such incidents have been rife.
Recently, the government was on the spot after the Greenbelt Movement raised concerns following reports of encroachment into the popular Ngong forest. In a letter, the movement warned of the dangers posed by the encroachment of protected forests.
In 2024, Kenyans sparked uproar online, sharing videos of Kenya Forest Service (KFS) rangers allegedly cutting down trees in Karura forest and loading the logs onto lorries.
Speculation online was rife that the deforestation was an alleged ploy to grab Karura land or develop infrastructure in the area.
