FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NAIROBI, 8 JUNE 2026: Friends of Nairobi National Park, Just Act, United Green Movement Party, The Green Belt Movement, Amnesty International Kenya, and Greenpeace Africa strongly condemns the arrest of nine peaceful protesters, including former Chief Justice David Maraga, and the violent dispersal of a peaceful procession of environmental defenders, students, and human rights activists advocating for the protection of Nairobi National Park.
The use of force against citizens exercising their constitutional rights to peaceful assembly, expression, and public participation is unacceptable. The arrests and reported acts of intimidation against those raising legitimate concerns about the future of Nairobi National Park represent a dangerous assault on civic space and democratic participation.
We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those arrested and urge authorities to respect, protect, and facilitate the right to peaceful assembly as guaranteed under the Constitution of Kenya and international human rights law.
We stand in solidarity with citizens defending Nairobi National Park and the right to public participation in decisions that affect our shared environment. 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.
This is about more than land. It is about power, accountability, transparency, and the right of people to be heard. When citizens raise concerns about decisions that may permanently alter a national treasure, the response of the state must be engagement and accountability, not arrests, violence, and repression.
Nairobi National Park is a unique ecological heritage, the world’s only national park bordering a capital city, and a critical refuge for wildlife, biodiversity, and future generations. Any plans that threaten its integrity must be subjected to meaningful public participation, environmental scrutiny, and full transparency. Decisions concerning protected public resources cannot be made without the informed consent and involvement of the people of Kenya.
We stand firmly with citizens who are resisting this apparent land grab and defending both environmental justice and the right to peaceful protest. Development must never come at the cost of our rights, our heritage, or our collective future.
The continued shrinking of civic space, criminalization of dissent, and use of excessive force against peaceful protesters undermine the rule of law and weaken public trust in state institutions. The protection of our environment and the protection of fundamental freedoms are inseparable. Citizens must never be punished for defending either.
We therefore demand:
- The immediate release of all persons arrested during the peaceful procession.
- An end to the use of force, intimidation, and arbitrary arrests against peaceful protesters.
- Full respect for the rights to peaceful assembly, expression, association, and public participation.
- Transparency and accountability regarding any proposals, agreements, or plans affecting Nairobi National Park.
- The protection and preservation of Nairobi National Park as a national heritage and public trust for present and future generations.
The Kenyan authorities must choose dialogue over repression and accountability over secrecy. The future of Nairobi National Park belongs to the people of Kenya, and citizens have every right to defend it.
Signed:
Friends of Nairobi National Park, Just Act, United Green Movement Party, The Green Belt Movement, Amnesty International Kenya, Greenpeace Africa
Ends
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