Mombasa County has allegedly begun cutting down old, dry trees in Uhuru Gardens, sparking concern from environmentalists and human rights groups.
According to a source, the trees provided extensive shade and served as a habitat for one of Kenya’s most important bat colonies.
As a result of this, environmental and human rights activists at the Coast are demanding answers from the Mombasa County government following the felling of old trees at Uhuru Gardens.
Located within Mombasa’s central business district, Uhuru Gardens is one of the few remaining green spaces on Mombasa Island.
The trees in the park are home to a critical bat colony, which environmentalists say plays a vital ecological role.
The bats are considered endangered, and the trees they inhabit help regulate Mombasa’s microclimate by providing shade and reducing heat.
On Thursday morning, a group of about 30 young men descended on the park with power saws and began cutting down trees.
“They claimed 19 trees had been marked for removal and that they had permission from the county government,” said Francis Auma, a rapid response officer with Muslims for Human Rights (Muhuri).
Auma, who was among the first activists to arrive at the scene, said the youth also threatened to assault him.
According to Auma, one of the trees that was cut down was over 100 years old, healthy, and not a danger to the public.
“Uhuru Gardens has a bad history; it was grabbed in the 1990s. We’re concerned that this may be another attempt to grab the land under the guise of clearing trees,” he said.
In 2014, the title deed was surrendered to the county government after a 20-year legal battle.
Veteran activist Khelef Khalifa said the individuals who cut down the trees appeared experienced and seemed to be in the timber trade.
“The logs were cut very professionally. This clearly looks like a business operation,” he said. He questioned the rationale behind the exercise. “Just by looking at the tree stump, it’s clear that the tree was still healthy. We doubt it posed any danger.”
He added, “The county should have conducted public participation and obtained a permit from the Kenya Forest Service before cutting any trees.”
Grace Oloo, another activist, said she contacted Mombasa Deputy Governor Francis Thoya, who assured her that the tree-cutting had been halted.
Thoya also serves as the Mombasa Environment executive member. “We want to know why the trees were being cut down in the first place,” she said.
Dr. Mwinga Chokwe, founder of Clean Mombasa CBO, expressed shock over the incident.
“Mombasa has already lost most of its trees. Uhuru Gardens is public property, and the county government has no authority to cut down any tree without involving the public,” said Dr. Chokwe.
He added, “If we lose all our tree cover, the city will suffer from rising temperatures.” He urged the county to focus on more pressing issues. “Instead of cutting down trees, the county should be cleaning the city, collecting garbage, fixing roads, and eradicating dengue fever and cholera,” he said.
Dr. Chokwe added, “We suspect this might be an attempt to grab the park. They need to come clean.”
However, Mombasa County Inspectorate Director Charles Changawa denied that the county government had authorised the exercise.
“We received reports and rushed to the park. By the time we arrived, the youths had already left. Two trees had been cut down,” he said.
Changawa added that an investigation has been launched and county officers have been deployed to secure the park.
“Our investigation team is already on the ground. We expect to have a preliminary report within the next 24 hours,” he said.
