Petitioners allege harassment during court-ordered visit to Nairobi National Park

Petitioners allege harassment during court-ordered visit to Nairobi National Park
Petitioners allege harassment during court-ordered visit to Nairobi National Park - Nairobi National Park's main gate. (Photo: Nairobi National Park)
Nairobi National Park's main gate. (Photo: Nairobi National Park)

Listen to article

4 min listen
Audio reading is not supported on this browser.
Ready

Thanks for listening. Continue with a related story, or tap the speaker icon on the next page to listen.

Related story

Sifuna seeks Senate probe into delayed Amboseli handover to Kajiado County

Zawadi Charity  ·  23 hours ago
Read next Opens a fresh page.

The orders followed the case seeking to have the Environment and Land Court hold the government accountable by stopping alleged ongoing development within the park.

The co‑petitioners in the ongoing case against the government’s move to embark on development inside Nairobi National Park say they were harassed and momentarily barred from entering the park yesterday when the court visited ahead of today’s hearing.
In a statement to newsrooms, the petitioners, including Friends of Nairobi National Park, Just Act, and 4,642 citizens, said the Environment and Land Court had on July 15 directed the Deputy Registrar to visit the park in the presence of all parties, and to prepare and file a report of the visit before the matter proceeds to hearing today.
The orders followed the case seeking to have the Environment and Land Court hold the government accountable by stopping alleged ongoing development within the park.

More To Read

“The co‑petitioners arrived at the park at the designated time, only to be subjected to intimidation and threats by masked and armed Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) personnel. Matters escalated when these same personnel then tried to eject the co‑petitioners from the KWS headquarters premises. This course of action stands at odds with KWS’ open invitation to the media to be part of the site visit," the statement read in part.
"What possible sense does it make to block the co‑petitioners from being part of the site visit, yet openly inviting the media to be part of the same? There can only be one conclusion – KWS wanted to control the narrative and ensure the voice of Kenyans was not heard by the courts or the media while on site.”
The petitioners added that KWS finally allowed them to enter the park only once the court officers, the Service’s representatives, members of the media, and the sole legal representative of the co‑petitioners, whom they allowed to enter, had completed the site visit.

Latest Stories

“Yesterday’s incident and conduct by KWS is indicative of their continued lack of transparency, contempt for public participation, and a disposition to use force when they don’t get their way. What is even more concerning, by acting in this way,” they said, blaming the Service for what they termed as showing complete and utter disregard for the sanctity of a court order and creating a public relations exercise from what should have been a site visit conducted in the public interest.
“We condemn these actions and behaviour by KWS in the strongest terms. We call on the courts to reaffirm their commitment to the rule of law and ensure court orders are respected in their entirety. We further urge the courts to ensure that citizens can fully exercise their rights to hold government institutions to account,” they added.
On the same note, they condemned what they termed the use of excessive force and arrests of peaceful protesters several weeks ago.
The case was filed in Kajiado on June 29 and later transferred to Nairobi on July 1, 2026.
The petitioners are seeking the court’s intervention in protecting the park from “illegal and unlawful development”.

Other Topics To Read

Top Stories Today

Comments

0
Loading comments...

Trending

World | |
News | |
News | |
Business | |
News | |
News | |
Middle-East | |
News | |
News | |
News | |

Latest Stories

Suspect arrested in murder of Technical University of Kenya lecturer Edgar Mokua
Headlines | |
OpenAI admits its AI models 'went rogue', hacked rival company during internal security test
Technology | |
LSK says court boycott will continue until Judiciary accountability concerns are addressed
Headlines | |
Petitioners allege harassment during court-ordered visit to Nairobi National Park
Headlines | |
Sakaja’s cabinet approves construction of phase one underground rail linking CBD to Eastlands
City Affairs | |
Kenya plans 8,000km grid expansion as it woos Chinese clean energy investors
Climate Change | |
Trump wants FIFA President Infantino considered for UN Secretary General role
Headlines | |
KMTC opens September intake applications, sets August 11 deadline for students
Education | |
Kangema Magistrate Martin Mutegi suspended after arrest over Sh170,000 bribe
Headlines | |
From the shadows to Harambee Stars: How patience shaped Alphonse Omija's rise
Football | |
Morocco adopts national care economy strategy, second in Africa after Kenya
Africa | |
Boost for child safety in Marsabit as Moyale Police Station opens protection unit
Headlines | |

Popular Stories This Week

Heavy rains forecast across Kenya this weekend, residents urged to take precautions
Charity Kilei |
Tanzania bans use of foreign currencies for local transactions
Maureen Kinyanjui |
Pakistan working on second round of US-Iran peace talks - reports
DW News |
Turkish airlines to suspend 18 international routes starting May
Mary Wambui |
State directs Saccos to cover losses from KUSCCO scandal
Eastleigh Voice Reporter |
KMTC announces 5,000 training slots for March 2025 intake
Charles Adinda |
Govt to slash civil servants’ hardship allowances in policy overhaul, saving Sh6bn annually
Maureen Kinyanjui |
Forgot your Safaricom number? Here is a simple way to get it
Margaret Wanjiru |
Denmark suspends green-sector work permit processing for applicants from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania
Rachael Mutabasi |
Defence CS Soipan Tuya among 52 graduates at National Defence College ceremony
Mary Wambui |
Gachagua impeachment challenged in Court as lawyers allege constitutional violations
Carolyne Kubwa |
Marathon world record holder Sawe receives heroic welcome after historic London Marathon triumph
Erick Kariuki |
KCSE exam results to be released in January as KNEC enhances cheating scrutiny
Maureen Kinyanjui |
OpenAI reportedly building AI-powered smartphone to rival iPhone
Margaret Wanjiru |
Details of the new salary structure, housing allowance changes for civil servants
Maureen Kinyanjui |
Passport shock: Kenyans to pay Sh12,500 as cheaper options disappear from eCitizen portal
Lucy Mumbi |
UN: Don't allow Israel-Iran conflict to spark new refugee crisis
DW News |
Exclusive: Somali referee Omar Artan secures US visa, cleared to officiate at 2026 FIFA World Cup
Bashir Mbuthia |
Somalia’s risky power extension amid emerging rivalries
Addis Standard |
Nairobi set for rail transformation as gov’t, World Bank partner on 10 major commuter projects
Lucy Mumbi |
OPINION: Shifting alliances, growing threats: Eritrea’s shadow over Tigray, rising risks across northern Ethiopia
Addis Standard |
How to change your name or unlist your number on Truecaller
Margaret Wanjiru |
Nairobi apartment prices fall in key suburbs amid oversupply and weak demand
Alfred Onyango |
Nairobi court dismisses money laundering count against Mike Sonko, orders defence on tender charges
Carolyne Kubwa |
Ruto ranked most corrupt person globally after ousted Syrian president Assad
Mary Wambui |
Forbes global rich list (2026)
Charity Pancras |
Fresh gunfire along border rekindles tensions between Uganda and South Sudan
Mwangi Maina |
Explainer: Why the 2026 FIFA World Cup ball comes with battery that needs charging before every match
Bashir Mbuthia |
KUCCPS reopens application portal for 2025 KCSE candidates
Rachael Mutabasi |
Australia bans YouTube, TikTok for under-16s, enforces strict age checks and heavy fines
Margaret Wanjiru |