CS Deborah Barasa pledges full disclosure on controversial Ngong Forest hotel project
Environment CS Deborah Barasa explained that forest laws allow the development of eco-tourism ventures in public forests and referred to provisions in the Forest Conservation and Management Act that guide such activities.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa and Forestry Principal Secretary Gitonga Mugambi have told Parliament that the ministry is ready to submit all relevant documents surrounding a disputed hotel development within Ngong Forest, following public concerns over land use in the protected area.
The two appeared before the National Assembly’s Environment, Forestry and Mining Committee, led by Mwala MP Vincent Musyoka, to respond to questions about the legal standing of the land and the decision to grant a special use license to Konyon Company Limited for the construction project.
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The committee had formally written to the ministry demanding clarity on how the development was allowed to proceed despite earlier suspension and widespread public uproar.
Among the key issues raised was a request for details on the identity of the firm or individuals behind the construction, whether an Environmental Impact Assessment had been conducted, and if all regulatory procedures were observed.
The MPs also wanted to know why the project went ahead while public participation appeared to have been neglected.
In her presentation, CS Barasa explained that forest laws allow the development of eco-tourism ventures in public forests and referred to provisions in the Forest Conservation and Management Act that guide such activities.
She added that the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) had already put in place an Eco-tourism Development Master Plan for 2024 to 2029, designed to support the responsible use of forest areas for recreation and tourism.
“Members, the Ministry reaffirms its commitment to transparent, accountable and sustainable forest management. This construction has been suspended pending further consultations and a comprehensive audit for the good of environmental conservation,” said CS Barasa in her closing remarks to the committee.
MPs welcomed the information but stressed that it should have come earlier.
Bura MP Yakub Adow faulted the process for failing to involve the public, saying, “We want such information in good time, there has been public uproar even before doing the impact assessment, and this tells you that public participation was inadequate. From the Constitution of Kenya 2010, we cannot run away from public participation.”
The committee also raised a separate concern over the reported undervaluation of forest land near Moi International Airport in Eldoret, which was allegedly valued at Sh500 million despite its actual worth being estimated at Sh3 billion.
Members said the issue of valuing forest resources is still unfamiliar and needs more scrutiny before conclusions are made.
Njoro MP Charity Kathambi urged the committee to explore international examples, suggesting that Kenya could adopt strategies from countries like South Africa to help regulate forest use and ensure benefits are not lost through exploitation.
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