Kenya Forest explains reasons for hiking Karura entry fees
By Cynthia Lodite, September 2, 2025The Kenya Forest Service Chief Conservator of Forests, Alex Lemarkoko, has come out strongly explaining the reasons for the abrupt hike of the Karura Forest entry fee after recent uproar with the Friends of Karura Forest (FKF) Community Forest Association.
According to the Kenya Forest Service boss, Alex Lemarkoko, it has been revealed that Karura Forest management was previously not paying tax.
The KFS Chief Conservator of Forests, Alex Lemarkoko, explained that the fee adjustments are due to the inclusion of Value Added Tax (VAT) and a convenience fee associated with the eCitizen platform.
“Yeah, but Karura was not charging VAT. They are not paying VAT. So they are not charging VAT. So now, because it’s a government accounting process, VAT has to be paid. So that is one,” he said.
Likewise, Lemarkoko added that a Ksh50 convenience fee per transaction was recently added, while explaining it is not a one-person charge; instead, it is charged per transaction regardless of the number of individuals in a group.
“Two, for e-Citizen, we have what we call a convenient fee. The convenience fee is per transaction, not per person. So if 20 people came as a group and they wanted to pay, they would pay once. With a 150-book transaction,” Lemarkoko said.
FKF demands
Alex Lemarkoko’s remarks follow a clash with the Friends of Karura Forest (FKF) Community Forest Association who recently raised alarm over what they described as a threat to the future of Karura Forest.
The FKF came out at the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) decision to take over entry fee collection and forest management.
Following a statement by FKF they expressed deep concern over the Kenya Forest Service’s decision, announced on Friday 29 August 2025, to assume full control of the forest’s revenue collection via the government’s E-Citizen platform.
The announcement also included an abrupt order for all FKF staff, including security personnel and scouts, to vacate the forest by 1 pm the same day.
Karanja Njoroge, past chair of FKF and a board member termed the future of Karura Forest as uncertain.
“We are growing increasingly concerned about what will happen to Karura going forwards, as there is no clear path for how it is being managed” Njoroge said.