Activists, Public Figures March In Nairobi Against Golf Courses And Airstrips In Forests

Civil society groups and community forest defenders, led by Greenpeace Africa, staged a peaceful protest through Nairobi’s Central Business District on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, marching from Uhuru Park to the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry.

Carrying a petition signed by over 60,000 citizens, the demonstrators temporarily disrupted traffic as they delivered their demands directly to Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa, calling for an immediate end to deforestation and robust legal protections for Kenya’s public forests.

Protesters specifically targeted state-sanctioned developments, accusing the government of carving up critical water towers like Upper Imenti and Ngong Road Forest for luxury real estate, state lodges, airstrips, and golf courses.

“How many water towers must be flattened for a golf course before the government acts?” Greenpeace Africa questioned in a statement during the rally. “Over 60,000 citizens refuse to watch sacred ecosystems in Upper Imenti and Ngong Road get carved up behind closed doors. No more quiet approvals. No more fake consultations. We demand permanent legal protection for Kenya’s forests, not luxury real estate!”

Prominent Voices Join Movement

The demonstration drew support from public figures, including popular gospel entertainer Karumba Ngatia, better known as DJ Krowbar, who marched alongside activists to deliver the petition to CS Barasa.

DJ Krowbar criticized the ministry’s silence on continuous forest destruction for infrastructure projects, emphasizing the environmental stakes of the campaign.

“The CS Deborah Barasa has been extremely silent for the many forests being put down by the State for the sake of opening State Lodges, Golf Courses, and Airstrips,” Krowbar stated. “[We are here] to submit over 60,000 signatures petitioning for ‘HANDS OFF OUR FORESTS!’ FORESTS = WATER = LIFE.”

The petition demands an immediate halt to all ongoing development projects within protected forest reserves and calls for enhanced public transparency and mandatory public participation in future land use decisions.