Former Chief Justice David Maraga Arrested During Protest Over Nairobi National Park Development
Former Chief Justice David Maraga was among several activists arrested on Monday after joining a protest against ongoing development works inside Nairobi National Park, in a move that has intensified debate over conservation and public land use.
Maraga was taken into police custody shortly after arriving at the protest site near the park on the morning of June 8. Witnesses said the former Chief Justice had joined environmentalists and lobby groups opposing the clearing of land within the country’s oldest national park.
Videos circulating online showed Maraga, accompanied by members of his team, attempting to evade police action before officers bundled him into a police vehicle. At least nine other protesters were also arrested during the operation.
The arrests came amid growing opposition to plans by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to clear approximately 76 acres of indigenous upland forest inside the protected park. The development follows approval by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), which licensed the conversion of 31 hectares previously designated as a protected Low Use Zone.
Environmental campaigners argue that the project threatens sensitive ecosystems and undermines the conservation objectives for which Nairobi National Park was established.
Former BBC journalist Ian Wafula, who was among those documenting the developments, claimed that authorities interfered with media coverage of the protest.
“We found evidence of construction going on inside Nairobi National Park, but KWS just confiscated our drone. Currently, protests by lobby groups and environmentalists are going on over the construction,” Wafula said.
According to project documents, the cleared land is intended to host a relocated Nairobi Animal Orphanage equipped with modern wildlife hospital facilities and larger, more natural enclosures for rescued animals.
The development will also include an eight-acre parking facility expected to serve both the new orphanage and the planned KSh41.9 billion Bomas International Convention Centre (BICC).
A pedestrian overpass connecting the park to the convention complex across Lang’ata Road has also been proposed.
Critics, however, argue that the plans blur the line between conservation and commercial development within a protected wildlife area.
Conservation lobby groups have accused authorities of failing to adequately involve the public before approving the project. The Friends of Nairobi National Park organisation has already petitioned the Senate and filed cases before the High Court, alleging irregular procurement processes and insufficient public participation.
Maraga’s arrest adds another chapter to his increasingly visible role in civic activism since leaving office in January 2021.
The former Chief Justice has in recent years emerged as a vocal advocate on governance, human rights and environmental issues. Earlier this month, he joined campaigners in Nairobi’s Central Business District demanding urgent action against the rising cases of femicide and gender-based violence.
He has also publicly supported youth-led demonstrations calling for accountability over police brutality, enforced disappearances and the rising cost of living.
In addition, Maraga previously criticised the government’s decision to increase entry fees at public recreational and conservation sites, including Karura Forest, arguing that such changes should only be implemented following meaningful public consultation.
As investigations into Monday’s arrests continue, conservationists say the dispute over Nairobi National Park could become a defining test of Kenya’s commitment to balancing development ambitions with environmental protection.
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