Court stops government from building car park inside Nairobi Animal Orphanage

Court stops government from building car park inside Nairobi Animal Orphanage - A side banner at the entrance of the Nairobi Animal Orphanage. (Nairobi National Park)

The court "prohibited contractors from clearing vegetation, cutting down trees, excavating, grading land, erecting fences or carrying out construction works within the disputed area pending the determination of the case."

The Environment and Land Court in Nairobi has issued fresh orders barring the government from constructing a car park inside the Nairobi Animal Orphanage and undertaking activities that could destroy sections of Nairobi National Park.

Justice Grace Kemei issued the directives on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, in a petition filed by 4,642 Kenyans challenging infrastructure developments within the protected conservation area.

The court "prohibited contractors from clearing vegetation, cutting down trees, excavating, grading land, erecting fences or carrying out construction works within the disputed area pending the determination of the case."

The orders also bar the government from proceeding with the proposed parking facility within the existing animal orphanage or undertaking activities that could lead to the destruction of any part of Nairobi National Park.

The petition, filed against the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the Attorney General and other respondents, challenges development projects linked to the planned relocation of the Nairobi Animal Orphanage and the redevelopment of Bomas of Kenya.

The petitioners argue that the proposed car park, access road and pedestrian bridge threaten wildlife habitats and could permanently alter sections of the protected park.

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They contend that the projects "lack the necessary approvals and public participation required under environmental and conservation laws."

The petitioners have also questioned the legality of allocating land within the park for permanent infrastructure, arguing that the proposed developments conflict with the Nairobi National Park Management Plan 2020-2030, which designates parts of the affected area as a low-use conservation zone.

The latest orders come amid an ongoing legal dispute over plans by KWS to relocate the animal orphanage to a new site opposite Bomas of Kenya.

KWS has maintained that the relocation is necessary to accommodate the increasing number of rescued animals and visitors.

However, environmentalists have raised concerns over the clearing of vegetation and the potential destruction of protected parkland.

In July, the court issued conservatory orders halting construction and development activities associated with the proposed relocation as the legal challenge proceeded.

The dispute further escalated on July 21, when the petitioners accused KWS officers of blocking them from participating in a court-ordered site inspection conducted under the supervision of Deputy Registrar Vincent Kiplagat.

The petitioners have maintained that the proposed developments must comply with environmental laws and conservation requirements before any construction can proceed.

The latest directives preserve the disputed area from further development as the court considers the legality of the contested projects.

The case places the proposed infrastructure developments under scrutiny over whether public projects can proceed within a protected wildlife area without meeting the applicable environmental safeguards and statutory requirements.