The Conservation Alliance of Kenya (CAK) has submitted a petition to the National Environment Tribunal to stop the construction of a road that is planned to go through the Aberdare forest.
This project has been controversial and has faced several petitions in the past. However, in January, the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) approved its construction.
The Ndunyu Njeru-Ihithe highway road, which is estimated to cost Ksh4.4 billion, was stopped due to concerns raised by the petitioners about environmental degradation.
CAK has also requested the tribunal to involve the government in considering an alternative route for the proposed road.
Calling for the cancellation of the license previously approved by NEMA, the alliance argued that the project is a recipe for an environmental crisis.
“We are making a call to the government to cancel the licence that approved the construction of the road. We have drawn to the attention of the government the legitimate and severe environmental impacts of the proposed road,” Green Belt Movement Board Chairman Nyaguthii Chege stated.
In January, NEMA made a turnaround after approving the licensing for the construction the the road in question, 25 kilometres connecting the counties of Nyandarua and Nyeri.
Controversies surrounding the project began after Rhino Ark Charitable Trust, Kenya Tourism Federation, and National Environment Civil Society Alliance of Kenya moved to court blocking it in 2009.
NEMA, at the time, refused to give a go-ahead for the construction project following an environmental and social impact assessment test on the potential effects it could have.
However, last year, the Transport and Roads Cabinet Secretary (CS), Kipchumba Murkomen, defended the project and suggested building an underpass at specific locations to allow the safe movement of wildlife, including elephants and rhinos.
Speaking in front of a joint seating of Senate Lands and Senate Transport Committees, the CS noted that the government was waiting for the final assessment report, before moving forward with the project.
“We are waiting for the final environmental assessment report which will determine whether we will go ahead with the project which has stalled for the last 10 years because working on a road project in the Aberdare Forest is a matter of great concern since the environment has to be protected,” Murkomen stated at the time.
