Author: Claire Wanja

Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust has objected to the ongoing construction of an airstrip within the Upper Imenti Forest Reserve and called upon the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to immediately suspend all works until all environmental and public participation requirements are fully met.

In a statement, Christian Lambrechts, Executive Director of Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust says as a long-standing conservation partner in the Mt. Kenya ecosystem, they have invested over KSh 1 billion during the past fourteen years in conservation infrastructure, including 320 kilometres of electric fencing around the Mt. Kenya forests, of which 54 kilometres protect the Upper and Lower Imenti Forest Reserves. Notes that the investments have significantly reduced human–wildlife conflict, protected communities and strengthened conservation efforts in one of Kenya’s most important ecosystems.

‘Rhino Ark respectfully urges NEMA and all relevant government agencies to immediately halt construction activities and ensure that all legal, environmental and public participation requirements are fully met before any further action is taken. Protecting the Mt. Kenya ecosystem is not only a legal obligation but a national responsibility, and the long-term value of safeguarding one of Kenya’s most important water towers, wildlife habitats and biodiversity hotspots far outweighs the short-term benefits of constructing an airstrip within a protected forest reserve,” he said.

Lambrechts added that the airstrip is being constructed within a protected forest landscape that forms part of the Mt. Kenya forest ecosystem, which was further gazetted as a National Reserve to ensure maximum protection of its ecological, biodiversity and water catchment values.

‘Rhino Ark is deeply concerned that no public participation has been undertaken as required by the Constitution of Kenya, no Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) has been conducted as required under the Environment Management and Coordination Act of 1999, and no licence authorising the project has been issued by the National Environment Management Authority. The absence of these legal requirements raises serious concerns regarding the legality and environmental oversight of the project,’ he added.

The Executive Director stated that Mt. Kenya is one of Kenya’s five principal water towers and provides water that supports millions of Kenyans, major irrigation schemes, hydropower generation, agriculture and livelihoods across the country and that the Upper Imenti Forest Reserve lies on the hydrological divide between the Tana and Ewaso Nyiro river catchments, and any degradation of this sensitive forest ecosystem risks undermining water security and the ecological integrity of two of Kenya’s most important river systems.

‘The Mt. Kenya ecosystem is internationally recognised for its exceptional biodiversity, hosting more than 880 documented plant species, including 81 endemic species found nowhere else in the world; globally important populations of threatened species such as elephant, bongo, leopard, and one of Kenya’s most significant forest bird habitats, supporting more than 50 African highland biome bird species. The Upper Imenti Forest Reserve is one of the most ecologically important sections of the Mt. Kenya ecosystem and plays a vital role in maintaining this biodiversity,” he said.

“We cannot trade one of Kenya’s water towers for short-term convenience. Upper Imenti is protected for a reason: it feeds the Tana and Ewaso Nyiro rivers, shelters elephants, and holds many plant species found nowhere else on Earth. No ESIA, no public participation, no licence means no construction. NEMA must halt works now,” he noted.

Lambrechts noted that Scientific elephant surveys undertaken by the Wildlife Conservation Society, Kenya Wildlife Service, Rhino Ark, Mount Kenya Trust and the Bongo Surveillance Project established that Mt. Kenya supports between 1,900 and 2,600 elephants.These studies further confirmed that the Upper Imenti Forest has the highest concentration of elephants during the dry season, and the airstrip is being constructed in this critical elephant habitat and near a known elephant maternity area. The Upper and Lower Imenti Forest Reserves also form the central section of a key wildlife corridor linking Mt. Kenya to conservation landscapes in northern Kenya, and the fragmentation of this corridor threatens elephant movement, habitat connectivity and long-term conservation objectives.

‘Rhino Ark notes that Gaitu Airstrip, located approximately 14 kilometres from Meru Town and accessible via a paved road, already exists. Rather than constructing a new airstrip inside a protected forest ecosystem, Rhino Ark proposes that resources be directed toward upgrading the existing Gaitu Airstrip, an option that would be more cost-effective and avoid the significant environmental risks associated with developing infrastructure inside a protected forest reserve.” He suggested.

‘The proposed airstrip is inconsistent with Kenya’s commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals – particularly SDG 6 (Clean Water), SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 15 (Life on Land) – Kenya’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Convention on Biological Diversity, the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the Global 30×30 biodiversity Target. The project also conflicts with key national policy frameworks, including Vision 2030, the National Spatial Plan 2015–2045, the National Climate Change Action Plan, the Upper Imenti Participatory Forest Management Plan 2022–2026 and the Mt. Kenya Ecosystem Management Plan, none of which provide for the construction of an airstrip within this protected natural forest zone,” he concluded.