Karura Forest Association seeks to bar govt from collecting entry fees through e-Citizen
The Friends of Karura Community Forest Association has moved to the Environment and Land Court seeking to bar the government from enforcing an increase of entry fees, enforcing the fees to be paid through the e-Citizen platform.
The Association has sued the Attorney General (AG), the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Climate Change Cabinet Secretary, the Ministry of Treasury and Economic Planning Cabinet Secretary and the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) over what they say is their failure to conduct public participation before making the decision.
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The petitioner wants the court to declare that the takeover of Karura Forest’s revenue management and the removal of funds from the joint account are unlawful, unconstitutional, and in breach of both the Forest Conservation and Management Act and the forest rules.
Further, they are seeking a court declaration that the purported introduction of “transaction fees” of Ksh50 or any amount in addition to the fees for accessing forests and forest resources is unconstitutional, null and void ab initio.
“That the abrupt implementation of new fee structures at Karura Forest, without public participation or regulatory justification, constitutes such an exceptional circumstance. The administrative action has an immediate and disproportionate impact on public access, conservation programming, and community livelihood issues that cannot await prolonged bureaucratic review,” the association states in the petition.
Agreement
The association also wants the court to declare that the Forest Management Agreement between them for the years between 2021 and 2041 is lawful, valid, and in force and can only be varied through the means provided therein and anchored in law and cannot be arbitrarily revoked nor deprive the association of funds necessary to achieve the stated objectives.
Through a certificate of urgency dated September 1, 2025, the association wants the court to issue a conservatory order barring the government from implementing any increase of fees to access forests until the petition is heard and determined.
“That pending the hearing and determination of the application, a conservatory order be issued, prohibiting the respondents (AG, CS Ministry of Environment, CS Ministry of Treasury, and KFS), or their agents, from increasing forest access fees in the schedule circulated and from continuing to channel or collect the forest access fees through the e-Citizen account as directed by the fourth respondent (KFS) devoid of notice and public participation,” part of the application read.
They are also urging the court to issue a conservatory order retaining the status quo ante as of August 28, 2025, in the management and conservation of the Karura Forest until the petition is heard and determined.
