NEMA halts EIA license for Ngong Forest’s golf range, restaurant project

NEMA halts EIA license for Ngong Forest’s golf range, restaurant project

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 18 – The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has suspended the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) license for a proposed restaurant and golf range at Ngong Road Forest Station.  

The decision follows Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale’s directive amid rising public outcry over the project’s environmental and ecological risks.

In a letter dated December 18, NEMA cited the site’s ecological importance and its location on a pipeline wayleave, emphasizing the need for further evaluations.

“The site being on a pipeline wayleave needs to be subjected to a comprehensive compatibility assessment and Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) to determine its viability,” NEMA stated.

Additionally, NEMA underscored the need for a more thorough ecological impact assessment due to the forest’s high conservation value.

This suspension comes a day after Duale ordered both NEMA and the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) to provide a detailed report on the matter within 72 hours.