On Monday June 8, police fired tear gas at protestors rallying against plans to build on part of a national park in Nairobi. At least nine were arrested, and among them was former Chief Justice David Maraga, who was arrested outside the main entrance of Nairobi national Park.
Maraga was detained and later on released while staging a sit-in outside the main gate. He later shared on X that he was arrested while heading to present a petition to the Kenya Wildlife Services.
“Our national heritage and environment must be safeguarded from greed and unnecessary destruction without public participation,” he said.
Many activists joined the protest against the construction inside the park and the relocation of an orphanage, claiming it is an attempt to grab land.
“We want to categorically state that Nairobi National Park is not for sale; our public spaces, our environment, and our rights cannot be traded away behind closed doors,” the rights group said.
According to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the project is intended to expand the orphanage, improving animal welfare, educational facilities, and visitor experience, dismissing all other claims.
