This archive report was first published on 25 June 2020.
On June 24, 2020, a photo of an excavator scooping out murram inside Nairobi National Park sparked outrage among Kenyans online, with many believing that an expressway was being constructed through the park.
However, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has denied these claims, stating that the construction works are actually for a road linking the KWS headquarters to the central workshop inside the park.
According to a statement from KWS, the construction works are being carried out by a local contractor who is improving the existing murram road. The contractor is also scooping murram from a quarry near the Standard Gauge Railway for use on the road.
KWS further explained that the contractor will rehabilitate the quarry pit in line with the Environmental Management Plan once construction works are completed.
The government's denial comes after a photo of the excavator was shared on Twitter by journalist James Smart, who captioned it: 'Lions at NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK watching destruction of their habitat to pave way for an EXPRESS ROAD. Saddest picture on the internet today.'
