This archive report was first published on 14 January 2020.
January 14, 2020, marked a significant milestone in the long-standing debate over the construction of a road through the Aberdare Forest, which spans across Murang'a, Nyeri, and Nyandarua counties.
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has announced plans to begin work on the 540km Mau Mau Road this month, despite concerns from conservationists that the project will degrade the environment.
For over a decade, the road's viability has been at the centre of debate, with environmentalists arguing that it will do more harm than good. The project is estimated to cost Sh30 billion and will begin in Kiambu, linking Murang'a, Nyeri, and Nyandarua around the Aberdare ranges.
The road will pass through the Aberdare National Park, which has been hard hit by poaching of endangered elephants and black rhinos. The park has only six black rhinos, and conservationists fear that the road could worsen the situation.
Local conservation group Rhino Ark Charitable Trust has been at the forefront in opposing the project, and even wrote to KeNHA last year asking it to shelve it. Meanwhile, there is disquiet in agencies like the Kenya Forestry Service (KFS) and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), which stand to be affected by the project.
KeNHA Central Regional Director Joseph Kaburia has stated that the project is ready to begin, citing a presidential directive and consultations with relevant stakeholders. However, sources within KFS say KeNHA did not consult them and is relying on a 2009 assessment by the National Environment Management Authority (Nema).
