KWS under fire over park access

By Newsflash Writer

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has come under sharp criticism after allegedly preventing co-petitioners in a landmark environmental case from participating in a court-ordered inspection of Nairobi National Park.

The accusations were made in a statement issued on Wednesday, July 22, by representatives of more than 4,600 Kenyan citizens who have petitioned the Environment and Land Court over what they describe as illegal development within the country’s oldest national park.

According to the petitioners, the Environment and Land Court had on July 15 directed the Deputy Registrar to conduct a site visit to Nairobi National Park in the presence of all parties involved in the case before the matter proceeds for hearing on July 23.

However, the co-petitioners claim that when they arrived at the park at the appointed time, they were blocked from entering by armed and masked KWS officers despite the court’s directive.

Claims of intimidation

In their statement, the petitioners alleged that they were subjected to intimidation and threats before being ordered to leave the KWS headquarters where the visit was expected to commence.

They further claimed that the actions contradicted KWS’s decision to allow members of the media to attend the inspection while denying entry to the citizens who are directly involved in the court case.

According to the petitioners, KWS only permitted them to enter the park after the Deputy Registrar, KWS officials, journalists and the only legal representative of the co-petitioners who had been allowed inside had already completed the inspection.

The petitioners argued that the move appeared designed to prevent them from presenting their concerns directly to court officials and the media during the visit.

They accused the wildlife agency of attempting to control the narrative surrounding the disputed developments inside the protected area and frustrating public participation in the ongoing legal process.

Call for court intervention

The petitioners also accused KWS of disregarding the spirit of the court order and undermining transparency in the handling of the matter.

They linked the incident to what they described as a pattern of excessive force by the agency, citing earlier confrontations in which peaceful protesters opposing developments in the park were allegedly arrested.

The group condemned KWS’s conduct and urged the Environment and Land Court to reaffirm the rule of law by ensuring that its orders are respected in full.

They further called on the judiciary to safeguard citizens’ constitutional right to hold public institutions accountable and to participate meaningfully in environmental governance.

The petition, filed by 4,642 Kenyan citizens, was initially lodged at the Environment and Land Court in Kajiado on June 29 before being transferred to Nairobi on July 1.

The petition seeks orders stopping what the applicants describe as illegal and unlawful developments within Nairobi National Park. The matter is scheduled for hearing on July 23.