The government’s decision to halt the construction of a luxury hotel within Ngong Forest followed a powerful wave of public outcry, largely fueled by the Green Belt Movement (GBM). The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) eventually bowed to pressure, releasing a statement blaming an “aggrieved individual” and a “known civil society” group for the backlash.
“The applicant was unable to proceed with the museum, citing inability to meet the financial obligations of a Special Use License. This same person, in collaboration with other members of a known civil society, has created the misinformation that is currently circulating concerning the development of the eco–camp,” KFS claimed.
The unnamed civil society group in question is widely believed to be the Green Belt Movement (GBM), Kenya’s most prominent environmental watchdog.
In response, GBM had formally written to KFS CEO Alexander Lemarkoko demanding the identity of the private developer, an explanation of how the approval process was conducted, and public access to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the license issued by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
Exposing the Ngong Forest Development
In June 2023, KFS issued a Special Use License to Karura Golf Range Ltd for the development of a golf course, restaurant, and mini-golf park within Ngong Road Forest. Later, in November 2024, NEMA granted the corresponding EIA license.
GBM, alongside other environmental organizations, sounded the alarm over the project’s legality and its threat to the forest’s biodiversity. They argued that the plan violated Kenya’s conservation laws and international environmental commitments.
Public Outcry and Government Backpedal
GBM’s strategy combined grassroots mobilization, legal pressure, and coalition-building with groups such as Save Ngong Forest and the Wangari Maathai Foundation. Their advocacy stirred national outrage, prompting intense scrutiny of the approvals.
This pressure culminated in December 2024 when then-Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale suspended the project’s licenses and ordered a full audit of all special-use licenses issued by KFS.
A Legacy of Environmental Resistance
The Ngong Forest case is just the latest chapter in GBM’s long history of defending public green spaces from illegal encroachment and unsustainable development.
Founded in 1977 by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Wangari Maathai, GBM is known for linking environmental conservation with social justice and community empowerment.
1. Tree Planting & Reforestation
GBM has planted over 50 million trees across Kenya, restoring degraded landscapes and helping communities—especially women—earn incomes through sustainable environmental work.
2. Defending Public Lands
In the 1990s, GBM successfully opposed the excision of Karura Forest, enduring state-sponsored violence and arrests. In 1989, they blocked the Moi government’s plan to privatize Uhuru Park for a 69-storey skyscraper—a move that earned Maathai international acclaim but vilification at home.
3. Ongoing Campaigns and Global Influence
GBM continues to protest unsustainable projects, such as sections of the Nairobi Expressway affecting urban parks. It remains vigilant against illegal logging and land grabs, advocating for strong enforcement and community land rights.
Through the Wangari Maathai Foundation, the movement preserves Maathai’s legacy, inspiring environmental defenders worldwide.
Eternal Vigilance
From Karura to South Ngariama and now Ngong Forest, GBM remains one of the most respected and vocal guardians of Kenya’s green spaces. Their work underscores that environmental protection requires not just policy but persistent, courageous activism.
