“Forests Are Not for Sale”: Kenyans Unite to Save Karura Forest.
By Peace Muthoka.
Nairobi – Thousands of Kenyans poured onto the streets of Nairobi on Saturday in a colorful yet urgent march to defend the nation’s forests from destruction and land grabbing. The rally, dubbed Draw the Line for Climate Justice, drew more than 2,000 people, from youth activists and faith leaders to global environmental organizations like Greenpeace Africa.
The parade stretched from KWS Lang’ata to the Catholic University of East Africa, marking 10 years since the Paris Agreement. Protesters waved banners, sang, and danced under the scorching sun, but their message was fierce: forests like Karura, Ngong, Mau, and Aberdare must be protected at all costs.
Climate activist Collins Odhiambo, who joined the march, said the gathering reflected the power of unity. “We came out as Kenyans, but also as young people who are passionate about climate justice,” he said. “This fight is not for one organization. It needs a movement, it needs all of us. The government has offered us no support it is NGOs and ordinary people keeping this struggle alive.”
From Karura to Ngong Forest, the threats are visible. Infrastructure projects, land grabs, and private development are eating into public land once considered untouchable. In Karura alone, 51 acres were nearly lost to road expansion until a court, pushed by public pressure, blocked the plan.
Sherie Gakii of Greenpeace Africa said the fight for forests is a test of accountability. “Forests are not anybody’s playground or private property. We have seen what is happening in Karura, in Imensi, in Aberdare. The appetite for forest land is alarming,” she said. “You cannot be talking about planting 15 billion trees by 2032 while cutting down existing ones. Which is which? The government must take a stand and protect our forests.”
Faith leaders were equally vocal. Father Francis Mbuvi, regional representative of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation and director of the Mother Earth Network, tied the destruction of forests to a moral failing. “If we don’t care for Mother Earth, it will respond, and it is already responding mercilessly to us,” he warned. “We must wake up, join hands, and reclaim our land through tree planting and protection of forests. Kenya cannot be green on paper while trees continue to fall.”
The march also spotlighted the contradiction in government pledges. President William Ruto launched a campaign in 2022 to plant 15 billion trees in 10 years, but so far only about 800 million have been planted. Protesters argued that such initiatives ring hollow when Ngong Forest and others are simultaneously being cleared for roads, housing, and state projects.
Despite the government’s silence, the rally was fueled by collective energy. Greenpeace Africa, Laudato Si, 350.org, and faith organizations marched side by side with young people, showing that climate justice is a fight for everyone.
“This is people power at its best,” Gakii added. “We have stopped destruction before, and we can do it again. Karura was saved because the public spoke out. Now it’s time to raise our voices for Ngong, Mau, Aberdare, and every forest under attack.”
