Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja /JOHNSON SAKAJA/X
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has warned private developers and state agencies against cutting down trees to pave the way for infrastructure projects, saying those responsible will face arrests and penalties.
He said some of the trees being felled in the city are decades old and have cultural and monumental value, making their destruction difficult to justify when alternative options are available.
“There are trees that are 100 years old but they are being cut because of one power line that you can relocate or put underground. So we want to caution them, we will arrest their officers if they continue to do that,” he said.
The governor said the county government would demand accountability for trees cut down by both private developers and government agencies, arguing that those responsible must bear the cost of restoring the lost tree cover.
He said restoration should go beyond simply replacing individual trees, with offenders required to plant multiple trees for every tree they cut down.
“For destruction that has been done, a penalty must be put because they must restore and they must plant a multiple of what they have cut because it's really going against the law. You cannot cut a tree without a written notification.”
Sakaja’s warning comes against the backdrop of extensive tree-cutting witnessed in Nairobi over the years as the city has undergone major infrastructure development and expansion.
One of the most visible examples was along Waiyaki Way during construction of the Nairobi Expressway, where trees that had lined the centre and either side of the old dual carriageway were brought down to make way for the project.
Tree-cutting has also been witnessed in several residential areas as electricity infrastructure is extended to newly emerging estates and areas undergoing expansion.
Sakaja said such developments should not be allowed to proceed at the expense of Nairobi’s tree cover, particularly where infrastructure can be redesigned or relocated to avoid cutting mature trees.
He said the law requires developers and service providers seeking to expand infrastructure or services to obtain written consent from the director of environment before cutting down trees.
According to Sakaja, the requirement also applies to development projects undertaken by national government agencies.
He said the issue was discussed during the last Devolution Summit held in Homa Bay county, where leaders agreed that development projects undertaken within counties should receive the necessary approvals from county planning committees.
“We discussed it at the summit that any development that happens in any county must have approvals from the planning committee of those counties, even by national government. That was the resolution of the last summit.”
Sakaja said the resolution was intended to ensure that development across the country is undertaken within the relevant planning and environmental frameworks.
For Nairobi, the governor’s position means developers and agencies seeking to undertake infrastructure works that involve tree removal will be expected to comply with the approval requirements before proceeding.
He also emphasised the need for restoration where tree-cutting has already taken place, saying those responsible should not simply proceed after removing trees but should contribute to restoring the city’s tree cover.
The governor’s remarks place responsibility for protecting Nairobi’s trees on both private and public actors, particularly as the country rallies toward growing 15 billion trees by 2030.
Launched in December 2022, the plan aims to fight climate change, fix damaged land, and clean the air.
Sakaja's warning signals a tougher stance on ensuring the vision is not derailed, with arrests and penalties among the measures he said could be applied to officers who continue cutting trees without approvals.
