Former Chief Justice David Maraga has strongly criticized President William Ruto’s administration and the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) over the recent hike in entrance fees at Karura Forest and the directive requiring payments through the eCitizen platform.
In a statement issued on Saturday, August 30, Maraga faulted the decision for being made without prior public participation, terming it a violation of Article 10 of the Constitution, which enshrines public involvement in policymaking. He warned that such unilateral actions risk undermining the accessibility of Karura Forest, one of Nairobi’s most treasured green spaces.
“The lack of public participation regarding the change in the management of Karura Forest is a clear violation of Article 10 of the Constitution,” Maraga said. “The increase in entrance fees and the directive to use the questionable eCitizen, a platform which the Auditor General has raised serious concerns about, puts into question the true intentions of the move by the Kenya Forest Service.”
The former CJ further accused President Ruto of double standards, noting that the decision came only days after the Head of State presided over Katiba Day celebrations. “Saying one thing and doing the opposite is duplicitous leadership that has come to characterise the current presidency. It is hurting our people, our resources, and our efforts in nation-building,” Maraga added.
His criticism comes a day after KFS sought to assure the public of a smooth transition to the eCitizen system. Chief Conservator of Forests Alex Lemarkoko, who oversaw the rollout at Karura, emphasized that only the payment mode had changed, while all other aspects of forest management remained intact.
“Visitors with annual passes can continue to use them until they expire. The new payment options are phone and card, with an average wait time of only one minute,” KFS said in its statement.
However, Maraga insists that the broader issues of transparency, accessibility, and constitutional compliance remain unresolved. He pledged to remain at the forefront of defending both the Constitution and the environment, warning that such measures could roll back years of progress in making Karura Forest a public-friendly conservation space.
