EXPLAINER: Why KWS Blocked Court-Ordered Inspection At Nairobi National Park
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has disputed allegations that it prevented campaigners from entering Nairobi National Park during a court-ordered site inspection on July 21.
According to KWS Communications Officer Duncan Wanyama, the visit was not blocked, and rangers were only executing routine park safety protocols.
According to Wanyama, Nairobi National Park is a protected ecosystem where wild animals roam freely, thus visitors must follow approved safety requirements.
The campaigners went to the park as part of a court-ordered examination by the Environment and Land Court in a dispute against the proposed Bomas International Convention Complex.
According to KWS, the restrictions enforced during the visit were standard safety measures for all visitors and were not intended to prevent access.
“First, Nairobi National Park is not an ordinary public space. It is a protected wildlife ecosystem with free-ranging animals, some of which are dangerous,” Wanyama said.
“Some rules and procedures exist for one reason only: to protect human life.”
According to Wanyama, that is why every visitor to the park must be accompanied by trained rangers and licensed guides.
He questioned whether any wildlife park anywhere in the world allows visitors to walk freely among dangerous animals without supervision.
Wanyama maintained that the safety protocols enforced at Nairobi National Park are standard practice in protected wildlife areas around the world.
He added that everyone who complied with the rangers’ instructions accessed the inspection site without incident.
According to Wanyama, this was evident from media coverage of the visit, which was attended by more than 20 media houses, disputing claims that KWS officers harassed those present.
The inspection arose from a petition filed by 4,642 Kenyans challenging proposed infrastructure developments within Nairobi National Park.
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The Environment and Land Court in Milimani had directed that the site visit proceed with representatives from all parties in attendance.
For the past few months, we’ve marched. We’ve mourned. We’ve gone to court. We’ve fought. We’ve spoken out. We’ve tried. God knows we’ve tried 😮💨
Now we’d like to do something different.https://t.co/LbFAxs0C4M
As Nairobi National Park turns 80 years old, we’re inviting… pic.twitter.com/tSOE3U9KkI— Friends of Nairobi National Park (@FoNNaPKenya) July 21, 2026
Wanyama said the court order provided for nine representatives to participate in the inspection.
However, Friends of Nairobi National Park (FoNNaP) arrived with an additional representative, their lawyer, bringing the total to 10.
He said this disagreement over the number of participants contributed to the standoff, insisting that KWS was enforcing the court’s directions rather than preventing anyone from accessing the park.
FoNNaP had earlier accused KWS officers of intimidating co-petitioners and attempting to eject them from the inspection site.
Wanyama rejected the allegations, claiming some of the conduct witnessed during the visit appeared intended to provoke a confrontation and create the impression that KWS had denied access.
EXPLAINER: Why KWS Blocked Court-Ordered Inspection At Nairobi National Park
