Friends of Karura Forest Challenge eCitizen Payment Directive, Defend Transparent Financial Management
Quote from Lawyer on September 1, 2025, 9:28 amThe Friends of Karura Forest (FKF), a community trust that has co-managed Nairobi’s Karura Forest for over 15 years, has publicly defended its financial management practices amid a controversial directive from the Kenya Forest Service (KFS). The directive, effective August 29, 2025, mandates that all gate entry, parking, and service payments for Karura Forest be processed exclusively through the government’s eCitizen platform, a move FKF claims disrupts their operations and violates a long-standing joint management agreement.
Karura Forest, a 1,041-hectare urban green space in Nairobi, is a vital recreational and ecological hub, hosting over 260 bird species, antelopes, monkeys, and restored indigenous trees. It attracts approximately 55,000 visitors monthly and generates between Sh225 million and Sh245 million annually from entrance fees, parking, events, and concessions. For over a decade, FKF has partnered with KFS under a 20-year Joint Management Agreement, signed in 2009, to transform the forest from a crime-ridden area into a safe, thriving urban sanctuary. This partnership, formalized under the Forest Conservation and Management Act of 2016, stipulates that all revenue from forest activities be deposited into a joint account managed by both FKF and KFS, with funds allocated for staff salaries, security, infrastructure maintenance, and forest regeneration.
The abrupt shift to the eCitizen platform, announced by KFS on August 28, 2025, has sparked outrage among FKF members and environmental activists. The directive, aligned with a National Treasury circular (CAB/ADM.2A/6 Vol.1/(122)), requires all payments to be processed through Paybill number 222222, effectively centralizing revenue collection under government control. FKF argues that this move was implemented without prior consultation, leaving the organization without access to funds critical for sustaining forest operations, which cost between Sh10 million and Sh12 million monthly.
FKF has strongly opposed the KFS directive, labeling it as a unilateral takeover that undermines the spirit of their partnership. On August 29, 2025, FKF members staged protests at the forest’s entrance along Kiambu Road, expressing their frustration by throwing water bottles and other items onto the road. The group claims that the shift to eCitizen not only disrupts their financial operations but also threatens the forest’s sustainability, as no alternative funding mechanism has been communicated to cover existing contractual obligations.
“For over 15 years, entrance fees have been collected under a legally binding 20-year joint-management agreement between KFS and the Friends of Karura Forest Community Forest Association,” FKF stated. “The funds have transparently supported operations, staff, security, infrastructure, and forest regeneration. No replacement mechanism has been communicated, even though FKF remains contractually liable for existing obligations.”
FKF emphasized that the joint management agreement clearly outlines shared responsibilities, with all revenues deposited into a jointly managed account. The organization has overseen contracts for staff salaries, security, and infrastructure maintenance, remaining financially accountable for these obligations. The sudden transition to eCitizen has cut off FKF’s access to these funds, leaving the group unable to meet its financial commitments.
Additionally, FKF highlighted a significant fee increase implemented without consultation. Adult entry fees have risen from Sh100 to Sh174, and child entry fees from Sh50 to Sh116, incorporating Value Added Tax (VAT) and an eCitizen processing charge. Previously, entrance fees were VAT-exempt, making the hike particularly contentious.
KFS Chief Conservator of Forests, Alex Lemarkoko, has defended the transition to the eCitizen platform, describing it as a compliance measure to enhance transparency, security, and efficiency in public revenue collection. On August 30, 2025, Lemarkoko visited Karura Forest to oversee the implementation of the new payment system, which allows visitors to pay via phone or card with an average transaction time of one minute. He assured the public that the change affects only the payment method and not the broader management structure.
“The only change is the payment platform itself; all other aspects of Karura Forest management will remain the same,” Lemarkoko stated. He emphasized that all staff, including scouts, clerks, cleaners, and contract employees, would be retained, and annual pass holders could continue using their passes until expiry. Lemarkoko also called for visitor feedback to improve services and thanked forest staff and scouts for their role in managing the transition.
KFS has maintained that its collaboration with FKF remains unchanged, with joint access control by KFS rangers and FKF scouts continuing as usual. The agency reiterated that the eCitizen shift aligns with a nationwide initiative to streamline government service payments, as mandated by the National Treasury.
The dispute has drawn support from environmental groups, notably the Green Belt Movement (GBM), which condemned the KFS directive as an attempt to dismantle a globally recognized co-management model. GBM Chair Nyaguthii Chege described Karura as a “model of public-community collaboration built on blood, sweat, and sacrifice,” referencing the late Nobel Laureate Prof. Wangari Maathai’s campaigns to protect the forest. GBM urged the government to halt the payment shift and called on Kenyans to join the fight to preserve Karura’s community-led management model.
FKF Chairperson Prof. Karanja Njoroge echoed these sentiments, warning that sidelining the community could undermine the security and maintenance efforts that transformed Karura from a notorious crime hotspot into a safe urban sanctuary. He noted that the forest’s success is a testament to community efforts and the joint management plan, which KFS’s actions now threaten to unravel.
The dispute also follows a recent legal victory for FKF and GBM, who successfully challenged a proposal to use 56 acres of Karura Forest land for a road extension project. FKF has further accused KFS of illegally tarmacking internal trails at Gate 15 without justification, highlighting ongoing tensions over forest management decisions.
FKF has warned that the loss of direct access to revenue could jeopardize Karura’s operations. The forest’s monthly operating costs, estimated at Sh10 million to Sh12 million, cover staff salaries, security, infrastructure maintenance, and conservation efforts. Without clarity on how funds collected through eCitizen will be allocated back to FKF, the organization fears it cannot sustain these critical activities.
“This could mark a tragic end to a legacy built on transparency and respect in the management of the People’s Forest,” FKF stated. The group has called for the immediate reinstatement of the joint management arrangement and greater transparency on how eCitizen funds will support forest operations.
Public discourse on social media platforms has amplified these concerns, with users urging Kenyans to protect Karura’s community-led model. Some have warned that the forest could slide back into neglect without FKF’s active involvement, while others have criticized the fee hikes as a barrier to public access.
The Karura Forest dispute highlights broader concerns about public revenue management and community involvement in conservation. The eCitizen platform, while intended to streamline government payments, has faced scrutiny for weak controls and transparency issues, as flagged in recent Auditor General reports. FKF is pursuing legal options to challenge the KFS directive, arguing that it violates the Forest Conservation and Management Act of 2016 and the terms of their joint management agreement.
As of September 1, 2025, the situation remains tense, with FKF appealing to the public, civil society, and international partners to safeguard Karura’s legacy. The forest, often described as Nairobi’s “vital lung,” continues to serve as a critical space for recreation, wellness, and biodiversity, making the outcome of this dispute significant for both the local community and Kenya’s conservation efforts.
The Friends of Karura Forest (FKF), a community trust that has co-managed Nairobi’s Karura Forest for over 15 years, has publicly defended its financial management practices amid a controversial directive from the Kenya Forest Service (KFS). The directive, effective August 29, 2025, mandates that all gate entry, parking, and service payments for Karura Forest be processed exclusively through the government’s eCitizen platform, a move FKF claims disrupts their operations and violates a long-standing joint management agreement.
Karura Forest, a 1,041-hectare urban green space in Nairobi, is a vital recreational and ecological hub, hosting over 260 bird species, antelopes, monkeys, and restored indigenous trees. It attracts approximately 55,000 visitors monthly and generates between Sh225 million and Sh245 million annually from entrance fees, parking, events, and concessions. For over a decade, FKF has partnered with KFS under a 20-year Joint Management Agreement, signed in 2009, to transform the forest from a crime-ridden area into a safe, thriving urban sanctuary. This partnership, formalized under the Forest Conservation and Management Act of 2016, stipulates that all revenue from forest activities be deposited into a joint account managed by both FKF and KFS, with funds allocated for staff salaries, security, infrastructure maintenance, and forest regeneration.
The abrupt shift to the eCitizen platform, announced by KFS on August 28, 2025, has sparked outrage among FKF members and environmental activists. The directive, aligned with a National Treasury circular (CAB/ADM.2A/6 Vol.1/(122)), requires all payments to be processed through Paybill number 222222, effectively centralizing revenue collection under government control. FKF argues that this move was implemented without prior consultation, leaving the organization without access to funds critical for sustaining forest operations, which cost between Sh10 million and Sh12 million monthly.
FKF has strongly opposed the KFS directive, labeling it as a unilateral takeover that undermines the spirit of their partnership. On August 29, 2025, FKF members staged protests at the forest’s entrance along Kiambu Road, expressing their frustration by throwing water bottles and other items onto the road. The group claims that the shift to eCitizen not only disrupts their financial operations but also threatens the forest’s sustainability, as no alternative funding mechanism has been communicated to cover existing contractual obligations.
“For over 15 years, entrance fees have been collected under a legally binding 20-year joint-management agreement between KFS and the Friends of Karura Forest Community Forest Association,” FKF stated. “The funds have transparently supported operations, staff, security, infrastructure, and forest regeneration. No replacement mechanism has been communicated, even though FKF remains contractually liable for existing obligations.”
FKF emphasized that the joint management agreement clearly outlines shared responsibilities, with all revenues deposited into a jointly managed account. The organization has overseen contracts for staff salaries, security, and infrastructure maintenance, remaining financially accountable for these obligations. The sudden transition to eCitizen has cut off FKF’s access to these funds, leaving the group unable to meet its financial commitments.
Additionally, FKF highlighted a significant fee increase implemented without consultation. Adult entry fees have risen from Sh100 to Sh174, and child entry fees from Sh50 to Sh116, incorporating Value Added Tax (VAT) and an eCitizen processing charge. Previously, entrance fees were VAT-exempt, making the hike particularly contentious.
KFS Chief Conservator of Forests, Alex Lemarkoko, has defended the transition to the eCitizen platform, describing it as a compliance measure to enhance transparency, security, and efficiency in public revenue collection. On August 30, 2025, Lemarkoko visited Karura Forest to oversee the implementation of the new payment system, which allows visitors to pay via phone or card with an average transaction time of one minute. He assured the public that the change affects only the payment method and not the broader management structure.
“The only change is the payment platform itself; all other aspects of Karura Forest management will remain the same,” Lemarkoko stated. He emphasized that all staff, including scouts, clerks, cleaners, and contract employees, would be retained, and annual pass holders could continue using their passes until expiry. Lemarkoko also called for visitor feedback to improve services and thanked forest staff and scouts for their role in managing the transition.
KFS has maintained that its collaboration with FKF remains unchanged, with joint access control by KFS rangers and FKF scouts continuing as usual. The agency reiterated that the eCitizen shift aligns with a nationwide initiative to streamline government service payments, as mandated by the National Treasury.
The dispute has drawn support from environmental groups, notably the Green Belt Movement (GBM), which condemned the KFS directive as an attempt to dismantle a globally recognized co-management model. GBM Chair Nyaguthii Chege described Karura as a “model of public-community collaboration built on blood, sweat, and sacrifice,” referencing the late Nobel Laureate Prof. Wangari Maathai’s campaigns to protect the forest. GBM urged the government to halt the payment shift and called on Kenyans to join the fight to preserve Karura’s community-led management model.
FKF Chairperson Prof. Karanja Njoroge echoed these sentiments, warning that sidelining the community could undermine the security and maintenance efforts that transformed Karura from a notorious crime hotspot into a safe urban sanctuary. He noted that the forest’s success is a testament to community efforts and the joint management plan, which KFS’s actions now threaten to unravel.
The dispute also follows a recent legal victory for FKF and GBM, who successfully challenged a proposal to use 56 acres of Karura Forest land for a road extension project. FKF has further accused KFS of illegally tarmacking internal trails at Gate 15 without justification, highlighting ongoing tensions over forest management decisions.
FKF has warned that the loss of direct access to revenue could jeopardize Karura’s operations. The forest’s monthly operating costs, estimated at Sh10 million to Sh12 million, cover staff salaries, security, infrastructure maintenance, and conservation efforts. Without clarity on how funds collected through eCitizen will be allocated back to FKF, the organization fears it cannot sustain these critical activities.
“This could mark a tragic end to a legacy built on transparency and respect in the management of the People’s Forest,” FKF stated. The group has called for the immediate reinstatement of the joint management arrangement and greater transparency on how eCitizen funds will support forest operations.
Public discourse on social media platforms has amplified these concerns, with users urging Kenyans to protect Karura’s community-led model. Some have warned that the forest could slide back into neglect without FKF’s active involvement, while others have criticized the fee hikes as a barrier to public access.
The Karura Forest dispute highlights broader concerns about public revenue management and community involvement in conservation. The eCitizen platform, while intended to streamline government payments, has faced scrutiny for weak controls and transparency issues, as flagged in recent Auditor General reports. FKF is pursuing legal options to challenge the KFS directive, arguing that it violates the Forest Conservation and Management Act of 2016 and the terms of their joint management agreement.
As of September 1, 2025, the situation remains tense, with FKF appealing to the public, civil society, and international partners to safeguard Karura’s legacy. The forest, often described as Nairobi’s “vital lung,” continues to serve as a critical space for recreation, wellness, and biodiversity, making the outcome of this dispute significant for both the local community and Kenya’s conservation efforts.