We, Peponi Road Residents Association representing homeowners and tenants living on Peponi Road and adjoining roads are extremely concerned about the unilateral, unannounced takeover of Karura Forest on 28 August 2025.

Our members live next to Karura Forest and have seen remarkable changes in the past 15 years. Many of our members remember when the forest was a dangerous place and a nogo zone for visitors which led to robberies and other crimes in our neighbourhood.

This was transformed by Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai and community supporters who rescued the forest from landgrabbers. Subsequently the 2005 Forests Act enhanced community participation.

The Friends of Karura Forest Community Forest Association (FKF-CFA) was born in 2009 and became a model for other CFAs. The partnership with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) enabled local communities to participate fully in the running of the forest. After initial private sector support, the forest became self-sustaining with entrance and other fees paying for the salaries of scouts, maintenance, forest conservation and regeneration and children’s playgrounds. This year over 75,000 people visited making it the most popular place in Kenya.

The partnership between FKF and KFS continues under a legally binding Joint Management Agreement which runs to 2041 and includes oversight of entrance and other fees which go into a joint account.

Without the eyes and ears of the local community, our association is concerned about the possibility of local development inside the forest without consultation such as the recently constructed tarmac road at the Rangers Village.

The Friends of Karura Forest Board are elected at AGMs and also include representatives from the Resident Associations – all of whom are unpaid volunteers.

We therefore respectfully urge the Ministry of Environment, Kenya Forest Service, and all relevant authorities to:

• Respect the legal agreement between the Friends of Karura Forest (FKF) and the Kenya Forest Service as outlined in the Joint Management Agreement and uphold the principles of joint forest management
• Guarantee that the entrance and other fees will be reinvested in Karura Forest for maintenance and operations
• Prevent any development or land allocation that compromises the integrity of Karura Forest.

Thank you
Peponi Road Residents Association Board and Residents