The Senate of Kenya has passed the Forest Conservation and Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in a move aimed at strengthening the country’s legal framework on environmental conservation and forest management.

In a statement shared on Thursday, May 14, 2026, the Deputy Speaker Kathuri Murungi announced that lawmakers had approved the Forest Conservation and Management (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bills No. 38 of 2025) after deliberations in the House.

“These are the results of the vote: the Ayes are 31, the Nays are zero, an abstentions are zero. The Ayes have it,” Deputy Speaker Kathuri Murungi said.

“A Bill for an Act of Parliament to amend the Forest Conservation and Management Act and for connected purposes.”

Submission of public views

This comes just days after the Senate invited the public to submit their views on the Forest Conservation and Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, a legislative package that could fundamentally reshape how the country protects its natural heritage.

The Bill, which was read for the first time in the Senate on May 5, 2026, has been referred to the Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources for detailed scrutiny.

According to the notice by the Senate on May 5, 2026, the move triggers a mandatory period of public participation, with citizens and stakeholders given until May 11, 2026, to submit written memoranda to the Clerk of the Senate.

“The Forest Conservation and Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (National Assembly Bills No. 38 of 2025) was read a First Time in the Senate on Tuesday, 5th May, 2026 and thereafter stood committed to the Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources for consideration,” part of the notice read.

The bill

The proposed law seeks to amend the existing Forest Conservation and Management Act (Cap. 385) to align it with the Constitution and modern global conservation standards. Among its key provisions is the establishment of a Directorate of Forest Regulation to enhance oversight in the sector.

The Bill also aims to formally anchor the Kenya Forestry Research Institute within the legal framework, promote integrated management of dryland forests, and introduce a system for Payment for Ecosystem Services schemes to incentivise conservation efforts.

“Specifically, the Bill seeks to establish the Directorate of Forest Regulation, to officially anchor the Kenya Forestry Research Institute within the Act, to promote the integrated management of dryland forests and to establish a framework for Payment for Ecosystem Services Schemes,” the notice stated.