Former Kenyan Chief Justice Detained During Environmental Demonstration
The demonstration focused on government plans to remove protection from a 75-acre portion of the park to allow the construction of a large parking area capable of holding more than 1,000 vehicles. Protesters also objected to a separate proposal to relocate the Nairobi Animal Orphanage to land near the Bomas of Kenya complex.
Maraga, who is expected to contest next year’s presidential election under the United Green Movement (UGM), joined hundreds of demonstrators who argued that alterations to protected environmental areas should not proceed without proper public consultation and a compelling justification.
“Our national heritage and environment must be safeguarded from greed and unnecessary destruction without public participation,” Maraga wrote on X.
According to reports, event organizers said they had obtained authorization for the gathering from local police authorities. However, participants later claimed that plain-clothes officers intervened and began detaining demonstrators. Protesters had planned to submit a petition to the Kenya Wildlife Service headquarters before being blocked by anti-riot police units.
Reports indicated that riot police used tear gas to disperse the crowd as tensions escalated. At least nine people were arrested during the operation, including Maraga.
The controversy centers on Nairobi National Park, the country's oldest protected wildlife reserve, established in 1946. The park is home to a wide range of species, including lions, rhinos, and giraffes, and has frequently been the subject of public opposition to development and infrastructure projects.
The demonstration follows other recent protests across Kenya. Last week, hundreds of residents gathered in Nanyuki to oppose plans for a proposed US Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base. According to reports, the unrest resulted in the deaths of two people.
The latest dispute has renewed debate over environmental conservation, land use, and public participation in major development decisions affecting protected areas.
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