The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has suspended the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) license for a proposed restaurant and golf range development in the Ngong Road Forest, citing critical ecological concerns and legal non-compliance.
In a notice dated December 18, 2024, addressed to Karura Golf Range Limited, NEMA Director General Mamo B. Mamo confirmed that EIA License No. NEMA/EIA/PSL/36483, issued on November 28, 2024, has been suspended indefinitely following findings from a field inspection.
According to NEMA, the field inspection revealed that the proposed project sits within a highly sensitive ecological zone in the Miotoni block of Ngong Road Forest.
NEMA’s report highlighted three major concerns:
1. Pipeline wayleave intrusion: The project is situated within an existing pipeline wayleave, raising potential safety and environmental risks.
2. High biodiversity value: The forest is a public resource of significant biodiversity, necessitating a thorough ecological impact and risk assessment.
3. Lack of compatibility assessment: A comprehensive compatibility and Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) has not been conducted to gauge potential risks to the environment and Project Affected Persons (PAPs).
“These findings indicate serious gaps in environmental safeguards and public participation, which are non-negotiable under Kenya’s environmental laws,” the notice stated.
Legal basis for suspension
NEMA invoked the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA) of 1999 to justify the suspension.
Specifically: Section 64 (1)(b) allows the Authority to demand a fresh Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study if unforeseen environmental threats arise after the license is issued.
Section 67 (2) mandates that projects cease entirely when an EIA license is revoked, suspended, or cancelled until a new license is granted.
NEMA has directed Karura Golf Range Limited to halt all project activities and submit a fresh, detailed EIA study addressing the concerns raised.
The revised study must involve broader public participation and evaluate the compatibility of the development with the pipeline wayleave and the forest’s ecological integrity.
Key stakeholders, including the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Pipeline Company, and the Nairobi County Environment Office, have been notified.
The suspension has drawn attention to the delicate balance between development and conservation.
Ngong Road Forest, a vital green lung for Nairobi, plays a critical role in biodiversity preservation, carbon sequestration, and water catchment.
Environmental activists have welcomed NEMA’s decision, citing increasing concerns about the encroachment of Nairobi’s forests.
