This archive report was first published on 21 April 2020.
Published on April 21, 2020, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has announced an extension of the review period for the Nairobi National Park Management Plan 2020-2030 until the end of June 2020.
The decision to extend the review period was made in line with a directive from the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala, who wanted to give the public more time to raise their concerns and support for the plan.
According to CS Balala, the public participation process will be extended to allow for the analysis and improvement of the plan for the public's interest.
The KWS had initially planned to construct an eco-lodge, a high-end restaurant, and an amphitheatre within the park, which conservationists had opposed, citing concerns that these developments would threaten the park's ecosystem.
Conservationists had also called for the postponement of the plan until after the COVID-19 pandemic, to allow for proper civic engagement.
The KWS had also planned to fence the park to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts and unpaid bills for human-wildlife compensations.
However, the Cambridge University Wildlife Conservation Society expressed disappointment that the KWS had not taken sufficient action to secure dispersal areas and migratory routes for wildlife.
