Cabinet approves establishment of Nairobi National Park-Athi-Kapiti Wildlife corridor to protect migratory routes
The Cabinet has approved the establishment of the Nairobi National Park-Athi-Kapiti Wildlife Corridor, a strategic initiative aimed at securing critical migratory routes and dispersal areas essential for Kenya’s wildlife.
In a statement released after a cabinet meeting on November 11, 2025, the decision aligns with a presidential directive issued in July 2023, which emphasised the urgent need to address habitat fragmentation and escalating human-wildlife conflict around Nairobi National Park.
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The corridor will reconnect the park to surrounding conservancies in Machakos and Kajiado counties, restoring migratory pathways for key species including zebras, wildebeests, and gazelles.
Implementation of the project will involve land acquisition, the erection of wildlife-friendly fencing, and the construction of overpasses and underpasses to ensure safe animal crossings.
“Portions of public land, including sections of the Export Processing Zone, will be surrendered to the Kenya Wildlife Service for conservation use,” read the statement in part.
Set to commence in the 2026/2027 financial year, the three-year project will leverage partnerships with conservation agencies and employ innovative financing mechanisms, including nature bonds and debt-for-nature swaps.
Cabinet highlighted that the corridor aligns with the Wildlife Corridors and Dispersal Areas Report (2016), Vision 2030, and Kenya’s broader commitment to sustainable biodiversity conservation.
This comes months after the Wildlife Principal Secretary Silvia Museiya said the 100-metre-wide passage has already been identified, stretching from the southeast of Nairobi National Park, through the EPZ and the East Africa Portland Cement land, up to the semi-arid Kapiti Plains, which are owned by the International Livestock Research Institute.
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Museiya noted that an underground tunnel will be created along the Namanga highway to facilitate safe movement for animals while maintaining human transport links.
“Factories along the corridor will be demolished and relocated within the zone. We have also engaged private landowners along the proposed corridor. We are currently registering private conservancies to accommodate them,” she said.
The PS added that a financial plan has been drawn up for the 2025-2026 budget year, mainly to cover the cost of relocating equipment and structures, not for paying compensation.
Further, the PS warned that the Nairobi National Park risks becoming a closed-off zoo due to surrounding developments.
“The Nairobi park has been closed by human settlement, infrastructure and other developments. In the near future, we project a Nairobi national zoo, considering the park only covers 17,600 acres,” she said.
