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The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has suspended the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) licence for a proposed restaurant and golf range within the Ngong Road Forest Station.
This decision follows an inspection by environmental inspectors, which raised significant ecological and safety concerns.
Concerns over biodiversity and safety
The proposed development by Karura Golf Range Limited is located in the Miotoni block of Ngong Road Forest, a public forest recognised for its high biodiversity conservation value.
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According to NEMA, the location overlaps with an existing pipeline wayleave, raising compatibility and safety concerns.
NEMA highlighted the necessity of further ecological assessments to evaluate the project's potential impacts.
The proposed site being a public forest of high biodiversity conservation value needs an in-depth ecological impacts and risks assessment undertaken through a wider participatory approach to ensure inclusivity and meaningful public participation and acceptance.
Additionally, the site requires a comprehensive Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) to evaluate potential risks to the environment, project-affected persons (PAPs), and nearby properties.
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Legal basis for the suspension
The suspension is grounded in provisions of the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA) 1999.
NEMA invoked Section 64(1)(b) of EMCA, which allows the authority to direct the project proponent to submit a fresh EIA study if unforeseen environmental threats arise.
Section 67(2) of EMCA further prohibits the continuation of projects with suspended, revoked, or cancelled EIA licences until a new licence is issued.
Whenever an Environmental Impact Assessment License is revoked, suspended or cancelled, the holder thereof shall not proceed with the project which is the subject of the license until a new license is issued by the Authority.
Immediate suspension
Following these findings and legal provisions, NEMA has officially suspended EIA Licence No. NEMA/EIA/PSL/36483, originally issued on 28th November 2024.
In its statement, NEMA underscored its commitment to sustainable development, ecosystem conservation, and the precautionary principle, aiming to safeguard public forests and their ecological integrity.
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The authority has directed Karura Golf Range Limited to halt all activities on the site and undertake the required assessments before any further considerations.