• Environment CS Keriako Tobiko on Friday said the forest, once reclaimed, will be linked up to the Nairobi National Park.
• Tobiko said an underpass will be built to create an expanded dispersal area for wildlife.
Image: /MAUREEN KINYANJUI
The government is to begin repossessing all land illegally acquired by private developers inside Ngong Road Forest.
Environment CS Keriako Tobiko on Friday said the forest, once reclaimed, will be linked up to the Nairobi National Park.
Tobiko said an underpass will be built to create an expanded dispersal area for wildlife.
"Except the areas that were lawfully degazetted, all the other parcels of this forest, whether people have titles or not, whether they have built structures for business or residential houses, will be reclaimed," Tobiko said.
Tobiko spoke in the Miotoni block of Ngong Road Forest when he received infrastructural support for the Green Zones II project.
Most of the forest land has been illegally hived off.
During the proclamation of Ngong Road Forest via proclamation No.44 of April 30, 1932, the Forest Area was 7,231.6 acres.
Various excisions over the years for public and private development have been done.
By 1978 the remaining Forest Area was 3,283.27 acres. This means 3,948.33 acres has been grabbed.
Tobiko wants the grabbed land repossessed and further encroachment stopped.
The CS said he will intensify the war against land grabbers as the illegal allocations threaten its existence.
The Star has documents which show that some entities, mainly public institutions, will be spared in the reclamation drive.
These include the Nairobi War Cemetery, Kenya Science Teachers College, Kenya Meteorological Department, Lenana School, EAPL substation, City Council Depot, Jamhuri Park (ASK Showground) and Kenya Power sub-station.
Some entities whose land will be repossessed include the St Francis Anglican Church and PCEA Mugumoini Church.
The Ndung'u land report released in December 2004 pointed out additional illegal titles. Its recommendations have been largely unimplemented.
For instance, the Ndung'u report had recommended revoking various land titles in Ngong Road Forest.
Documents for Ankhan Holdings, Nairobi Chapel, ASK Showground, Mounted Police, Nairobi SSK show expansion, Mugumoini PCEA church, Ngong Road Motel and Super Market/1997, Ngong Road Hospital and St. Francis ACK Church had been listed for revocation.
Others are Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, women's prison extension, Prison Industrial Centre, and Ngong Forest Primary School.
“The Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forestry is requested to forward details of all illegal parcels to the Cabinet for policy direction to be provided. In order to protect the Ngong Road gazetted forest from all the illegal allocations, there is a need to fence it off urgently,” the documents said.
In total, 1,951 acres are no longer within the boundaries of the gazetted Ngong Road Forest.
The land excluded was illegally allocated to private developers. Some have been transferred to private companies.
The commissioner of lands allocated 15 acres to a private developer but the National Social Security Fund currently stakes ownership.
Some 138 acres was sold to Kenya Pipeline Company.
Another 18 acres were allocated for extension of ASK showground (Jamhuri Park). Objections were raised. Another 44 acres allocated to the ASK by the commissioner of lands were not authorised by the Forest department.
Another private developer got 22 acres to build a motel, petrol station and a supermarket.
The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation also got 100 acres for their headquarters. Objections were raised and the area is still intact.
One private developer got 15 acres and later transferred it to Winners’ Chapel. A portion of the parcel is developed, but a title deed for some section was surrendered.
Two residential flats were built on 13 acres. Further development has been stopped.
Some 21 acres were allocated for the expansion of the Lang'ata Women’s Prison. A big portion of this plot was later allocated to private developers. They built residential houses.
More than 800 homes are sitting on the Ngong Road Forest land.
They include Park View, Sunvalley I and Sunvalley II, Kenya Medical Association, Lang'ata View Apartments and St Mary’s Hospital, Forest Edge Maisonettes.
In the illegally hived off area, a 40 by 60 feet plot goes for Sh12 million.
A hospital and a residential complex owned by the Kenya Medical Resuscitation Centre have been built on another 37 acres. The area also has residential houses owned by individuals. It is still part of the gazetted forest.
Bomas of Kenya’s 80 acres are also part of the gazetted forest. Kenya Pipeline Corporation bought 138 acres. Other allocations are 40 acres and 15 acres to Amusement Park Ltd.
Jockey Club of Kenya L.R. No. 9937 measuring approximately is part of forest land.