The government has agreed to halt the construction of National Youth Service (NYS) housing units within the protected boundaries of Karura Forest.

According to Karanja Njoroge, the Friends of Karura Forest Association Board Member, the government agreed to halt construction in the forest, revealing details of a meeting held on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, with the Ministry of Environment and Kenya Forest Service (KFS).

Speaking during an interview on a local TV station on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, he confirmed that the government has yielded to the concerns raised by the Community Forest Association regarding the ecological impact of the project.

“We had a meeting yesterday, and they have accepted that that is not necessary, the NYS thing (referring to the ongoing construction of NYS houses inside the forest),” Njoroge said.

Plans to clear parts of the forest

Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa, while speaking in an interview on a local TV station on Monday, March 9, 2026, brushed off claims that the government was clearing parts of the forest for housing developments.

“We are just clearing space to propagate between two million and ten million seedlings for us to green our city and ensure the forest is fully covered,” she stated.

According to CS Barasa, the area being prepared measures between two and three acres and will serve as a seedling propagation site as well as a location for temporary accommodation for NYS officers who will help run the project.

NYS Houses at Karura Forest

A dispute emerged over plans by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) to construct accommodation facilities for National Youth Service (NYS) personnel inside Karura Forest in Nairobi.

Conservation organisations, including the Green Belt Movement (GBM) and Friends of Karura Forest, opposed the ongoing tree clearance and site preparation in the Rangers Village area, terming it a threat to the forest.

In a press release dated February 27, 2026, the Green Belt Movement expressed solidarity with Friends of Karura in opposing the works. The group said its advocacy team met KFS leadership on February 26, 2026, where officials confirmed the development.

“The Green Belt Movement stands in full solidarity with Friends of Karura Forest in opposing the ongoing tree clearance and reported plans to construct accommodation facilities for the National Youth Service within Karura Forest,” the statement read in part.