Kenya’s founding President, Jomo Kenyatta on September 18,1963,declared that his government will conserve country's natural resources using all means at disposal.
This was shortly after Kenya attained independence from the British.
"The government of Kenya, fully realising the value of its natural resources, pledges itself to
conserve them for posterity with all the means at its disposal.We, therefore, invite other nations and lovers of nature throughout the world to assist us in honouring this solemn pledge,"he said.
The founding presidents pledge provided a clear example of government’s commitment to the conservation of its natural resources.
The pledge has however come to haunt his son,Uhuru Kenyatta fifty three years later,after his administration gave a green light allowing Jubilee's mega project,SGR slice the park into two.
The multi-billion project has run into a strong opposition after conservationists and the Kajiado residents said "allowing the SGR to pass the park is not negotiable" as it will destroy parks flora and fauna,making the only park within the city in the world unattractive.
They are drawn from Kitengela,Oloosirkon,Oletepes and Sholinke.
The residents and conservationists have for several days been holding strategic meetings aimed at stopping the government from erecting a bridge over the park.
During a meeting at Kajiado on September 7, residents hard pressed the Kenya Railways corporation officials after demanding the reasons as to why contractors of China accompanied by armed police "intruding on there land,forcefully erecting beacons".
Residents in the meeting that degenerated into heated demanded to know why Chinese accompanied by armed police stormed their land erecting beacons without their knowledge and consent.
The Kenya railways managing director Atanas Maina was absent as he had been "held up at state house for meeting" and instead delegated the role to SGR adviser engineer Solomon Ouna,a surveyor ,officials from security department and corporate communications.
On August 12,residents had given the government a two week ultimatum to provide them with information about the project and why strangers were intruding on their property without their knowledge and consent.
"The constitution demands that the public should be given an opportunity to participate in mega projects like the standard gauge railway,they have never been involved in the project. They only watch helplessly as Chinese contractors accompanied by armed police storm their property erecting beacons,"Sidney Quntai,the Kenya Coalition for Wildlife Conservation and Management chairman said adding that they are not opposed to the project.
Residents particularly wanted to know if an environmental impact assessment had been done and what impact it will have on the oldest and only park found within the city in the world.
Residents tore into the Kenya Railways officials for close to three hours before they were allowed to respond to some of the issues they had raised.
"We might not be having answers to all the issues you have raised. The SGR project needs to pass a good route as it will be moving at a very high speed.We are still scratching the head for the second phase of the project as there are many people and most of whom under the constitution and there are many expensive property,"SGR adviser engineer Solomon Ouna said worsening matters.
"We have a very strong attachment to the park and we will not negotiate about it.I did security studies and i can write a very big report about you,you are cheating about the SGR route. The park is not negotiable and that is the position of the community,"An agitated Africa Network for Animal Welfare coordinator Daniel ole Osoi said.
In 2013,the park lost over 50 acres after it gave out for the construction of the Southern bypass project.
Osoi said wildlife were displaced during the construction the road running from Ole Sereni to Carnivore,a move that saw human wildlife conflict increase.
"The Maasai community have lived peacefully with wildlife for a very long time,but the SGR project will displace them causing them to flee to areas with human beings there by causing conflict,"he said accusing railway officials for being insincere.
Ouna said once a route has been identified,an environmental impact assessment will be done before residents are allowed to participate.
"We first look the route and when it has been found,environmental impact assessment will be done before the public participates,"he said amid disapproval from the residents.
The hide and seek between government,conservationists and the Kajiado residents comes against a back drop of a new design showing the government has settled on the final path for the Naivasha route of the Standard Gauge Railway, still cutting through the middle of the Nairobi National Park.
Government had seven routes to chose from for the SGR project.
In the first route(Kibera Route) ,the project is to be routed along the Southern bypass and cutting through Kibera and terminating close to the inland container depot. An underground tunnel after carnivore as well as a bridge before the Ngong forest are required. Required land acquisition at Sh120 million.
The second route (Langata Forest Magadi Road Route) is along southern bypass with a dog leg through the western forest in NNP then exit through Magadi road.The main challenge of the raoute is that it would pass through several institutions hence a huge land costs.
On the third route(Savannah Route),the project will run through the middle of the park from the Syokimau to near the Maasai gate/Tuala. Built on an overhead bridge 7.2km long, 18m high across length of park.
The fourth route (Modified Savannah Route) is similar to route three but slightly shorter with a variation in the southern section. The project will be built on an overhead bridge 6.0km long, 18m high across length of park.This is the route that has given conservationists sleepless nights as Kenya railway corporation is set to do an Environment impact assessment.
On the fifth option(Upper South East Route),the project is set to start at Mlolongo and exits south.The sixth option( Lower South East Route) is similar to the fifth but starts lower down along Mlolongo and exits south.
For the seventh option(Athi River Route) SGR starts at Athi river route follows the same route as Phase 1 of SGR, which has already taken park land. The Athi river route requires significant modification from the Syokimau hub to operate. It requires parallel 2.5km bridge at Athi River. The route still needs additional park land – 100 acres.
KRC did not prefer this route as it would require double tracks to the marshalling yard.
The new path that the Kenya Railways Corporation is set to do an Environment impact assessment has a viaduct that cuts through the middle of the park for six kilometres, dividing it into two almost equal portions.
The railway line will be carried on pillars rising eight metres at the entrance into the park and tallest at 41 metres at the exit of the park.
Osoi condemned the Kenya Wildlife Service after it ceded ground and allowed the project run through the park.
'KWS has failed to advice the government as the official custodian and protector of the national parks and reserves.This is tantamount to betrayal and a contravention of national wildlife conservation ethics for Kenya,"he said.
Residents were irked to learn that president Uhuru Kenyatta is set to launch the project later this month.
"We have been told that the president is going to launch the project 26th of this month,how do you launch a project yet the route has not been found?"Osoi paused.
Ouna said the launch is meant to ensure that the mega project will kick off successfully.
"We came here because you wanted a conversation. We have heard you but we do not have answers to all questions, you will give us time as we seek for answers,"Ouna who was accompanied by a group of officers most of whom from security and communication pleaded with the residents.
“We have enjoyed watching the birds, the animals and feeling the cool breeze from the park. Waking up and seeing the locomotive machine passing over those concrete pillars is unimaginable,” Osoi said.
Osoi warned that if the SGR passes through the park, “those with a never-ending appetite for grabbing land” will take advantage.
Quntai said the cost of the SGR crossing the park is very high.
“We can’t lose the park through dictatorial means. We have the power of the people, which has always reigned over any government,” he said.
Will Knocker, who lives on the southern boundary warned that an invasive weed parthenium will race into the man-made route through the park, infecting what remains of the park.
Olosirkon Residents Association official Hamdi Keif Yusuf in her powerful appeal urged Kenyatta to “jealously” protect what his father had declared the most precious natural resource.
Yusuf said the park has brought income to sustain themselves and their families,and has brought joy to most of young hearts and old alike.
"How then can we sit and watch her die?".
Yusuf urged anyone and everyone who has ever felt strong connection with the park, and those who have visited stand with them and "condemn this as the highest act of treason against not only Kenya, not only Africa but it would be an injustice to the entire world.
She said by destroying the last vein of a dying ecosystems and great National parks will only open the doors to everyone who sees a short term profit in our long term suffering.
“Mr President, see the destruction of your father’s legacy? This is not the cheapest option. It is very expensive and there are alternatives,” she said.
Yusuf said Kenya is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and touching the park will not only break these treaties, but that of the Masaai elders who gave their land for the park. The government recently settled on the final path cutting through the middle of the park.
Uhuru is who is expected to launch the Nairobi-Naivasha leg of the SGR on September 26 is now under pressure to halt the project.
On September 16,the residents accompanied by conservationist stormed the KWS demanding answers on why they backed down,allowing the project cut through the park.
They chanted “save our park, don’t rape the park, stop the SGR through the park, save our heritage, we have the Sh2billion to save the park”.
“We have come here peacefully to express our concerns about a proposal to the effect that SGR will be passing through the park yet there was neither an Environmental Impact Assessment done nor involvement of the public as enshrined under the constitution,”Quntai said .
“You had seven options but we make it absolutely clear that having SGR through the park is not negotiable,"he said.
The Nairobi national park is the most visited wildlife protected area in the country with over 150,000 tourists visiting each year raking in Sh 60 million.
A tribunal has however stopped the construction of the Nairobi-Naivasha section of the SGR, a few days before Kenyatta's scheduled launch.
The National Environment Tribunal gave the order following a petition by activist Okiya Omtatah and the Kenya Coalition for Wildlife Conservation and Management, a local lobby group.
The tribunal ordered the government and the National Environment Management Authority to stop all activities related to the project until the matter is determined.
The Nairobi National Park is also a critical breeding sanctuary for the near extinct black rhino and white rhino populations.
The residents have now asked Kenyatta to take bold steps aimed at protecting the park.
The move now haunts Kenyatta who has taken a prominent role in ensuring that a new wildlife conservation and management laws are in place.
Kenyatta has also been lobbying other countries to have total global ban imposed on ivory trade.
The first lady Margaret Kenyatta has also shown a lot of interest in the protection of iconic species.