NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 9 – A petition has been filed before the Environment and Land Court seeking to halt any proposed developments within Imenti Forest over fears that parts of the protected ecosystem could be allocated for major infrastructure projects.
The case, filed by petitioner Francis Awino, seeks urgent conservatory orders barring government agencies and any other parties from carrying out activities that may alter the forest pending the hearing and determination of the matter.
The petitioner wants the court to prohibit the excision, allocation, licensing, surveying, fencing, clearing or construction on any section of Imenti Forest amid reports that portions of the forest may be earmarked for projects including an airstrip, golf course and State Lodge.
According to court filings, concerns have emerged following reports and public statements suggesting that development plans could affect sections of the forest, raising alarm among conservationists and members of the public over the potential environmental impact.
Awino argues that unless immediate court intervention is granted, actions taken before the petition is heard could permanently interfere with the forest’s ecological and legal status.
The petition further seeks orders compelling relevant state agencies to preserve and disclose all documents linked to the alleged projects.
These include correspondence, survey maps, environmental impact assessments, internal memoranda, approvals, special user licence applications, easement requests and any other records associated with the proposed developments.
At the centre of the case is a challenge to the 2025 amendment to Section 56(2) of the Forest Conservation and Management Act.
The petitioner argues that the amendment weakened protections for public forests by allowing infrastructure projects such as roads, pipelines and utilities to proceed under what he describes as a less rigorous legal process.
According to the petition, the threatened developments violate several constitutional provisions relating to environmental protection, public participation, fair administrative action and the management of public land.
The case cites Articles 10, 42, 47, 62, 69 and 70 of the Constitution, arguing that public forests are held in trust for both current and future generations and must therefore be safeguarded from unlawful or harmful development.
Awino maintains that the State has a constitutional obligation to protect and conserve forest resources and ensure that any decisions affecting protected ecosystems comply fully with environmental laws and public participation requirements.
The petition warns that if no intervention is made, Imenti Forest risks suffering irreversible environmental degradation before the constitutional and legal questions raised in the matter are conclusively determined by the court.