Environmentalists oppose Forest Law changes as Senate passes controversial amendment bill
By WMW
A fresh battle over the protection of Kenya’s public forests has erupted after the Senate passed the Forest Conservation and Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, introducing controversial provisions that allow easements and wayleaves for roads, public installations and utilities within public and private forests.
The move has triggered sharp criticism from environmental groups led by The Green Belt Movement, which has accused lawmakers of weakening constitutional safeguards protecting forests and opening the door to environmental destruction disguised as development.
In a statement issued on Thursday, hours after the Senate approved the amendment to Section 56(2) of the Forest Conservation and Management Act, 2016, the organization expressed concern over what it termed as the hurried passage of the Bill despite widespread public opposition.
The lobby group argued that the amendment grants the Kenya Forest Service authority to issue easements and wayleaves within forest land for infrastructure projects, creating what environmentalists describe as a dangerous legal loophole likely to encourage encroachment and commercial exploitation of protected ecosystems.
According to the Green Belt Movement, the legislative process was accelerated unusually fast, with the Second Reading, Third Reading and voting conducted within a short period, allegedly limiting meaningful public participation on an issue with major environmental implications.
The organization warned that Kenya risks normalizing gradual destruction of forests through administrative approvals tied to roads, utility corridors and public installations.
“We have already witnessed repeated attempts to excise and interfere with protected forests including Karura Forest, the Aberdares and Ngong Road Forest. The fears being raised by Kenyans are therefore legitimate, informed and grounded in recent experience,” the statement said.
Environmentalists cited recent disputes over the proposed excision of parts of Karura Forest for road expansion, ongoing opposition to a proposed road cutting through the Aberdare Forest ecosystem, and concerns over commercial developments within Ngong Road Forest as examples of increasing pressure on public forests.
The Green Belt Movement argued that forests are critical water towers and climate buffers that support biodiversity, agriculture, rainfall patterns and livelihoods for millions of Kenyans.
The amendment now awaits assent by William Ruto, with environmental activists urging him to reject the Bill and return it to Parliament for reconsideration.
“We now call upon President William Ruto not to assent to this Bill in its current form,” the movement stated, arguing that the Head of State has a constitutional and moral obligation to protect public forests for future generations.
The controversy comes at a time when Kenya is grappling with the effects of climate change, including prolonged droughts, floods, rising temperatures and growing water insecurity.
Environmental stakeholders fear that weakening forest protections could accelerate degradation of key ecosystems and undermine national climate resilience efforts.
Supporters of the amendment, however, argue that the changes are intended to facilitate strategic public infrastructure projects and utilities necessary for economic growth and public service delivery.
Proponents maintain that the law still requires environmental safeguards and approvals before projects can proceed within protected areas.
Nevertheless, critics insist that the wording of the amendment is too broad and vulnerable to abuse, especially in a country where disputes over land allocation and forest encroachment have persisted for decades.
The Green Belt Movement has now called on civil society organizations, youth groups, faith leaders, environmental defenders and ordinary Kenyans to continue opposing the amendment and press for stronger forest protections.
“This moment is bigger than one amendment. It is about the future of Kenya’s environmental heritage and whether future generations will inherit living forests or destroyed ecosystems,” the organization said.
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