KFS reveals contractor behind Ngong Forest luxury camping site

New revelations have surfaced regarding the contentious development of a luxury camping site in Ngong Road Forest, following the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) announcement of the contractor awarded the project.

At a public forum held on Tuesday at the Ngong Road Sanctuary, KFS disclosed that Konyon Company Ltd secured the contract to build 11 cottages within the forest area.

However, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has stated that it did not grant any license for this undertaking.

Furthermore, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was reportedly carried out by a private consultant commissioned by Konyon Company, not by NEMA.

The controversy surrounding the construction of a luxury camping facility in Ngong Road Forest has deepened, with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) raising red flags over several irregularities.

NEMA revealed that no environmental license had been granted for the project, citing the absence of public participation, a key legal requirement.

The authority questioned how the contractor, Konyon Company Ltd, moved forward without this crucial approval.

More discrepancies surfaced when NEMA indicated that the proposed development actually involved 20 cottages, not 11 as earlier disclosed by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS).

The ambitious plan includes luxury tented units built with canvas and stone, a reception tent, recreational and dining zones, a hexadome-style restaurant, a breakfast tent, a yoga platform, open-air dining areas, and a meeting facility.

Additional features comprise wellness areas with a sauna, steam ,and massage rooms, a large concrete kitchen with storage space, a laundry and linen area, staff housing, a security post, and an electrical room.

Interestingly, the consultant involved claimed he had advised the contractor to reduce the number of cottages from 20 to 10 to lessen the ecological footprint on the forest.

A major concern now centers around the use of concrete structures, despite the environmental report stating that only eco-friendly, degradable materials would be used an inconsistency the contractor has yet to clarify.

Meanwhile, KFS has criticized the Green Belt Movement (GBM) over a previous 2020 application submitted via Greenkids Museum Kenya Limited, which aimed to establish a children's museum in the forest.

According to KFS, the proposal was rejected after the applicant failed to pay the necessary application fees.

Notably, the rejected applicant is reportedly affiliated with the Ngong Road Forest Association, a co-management partner of the forest alongside KFS.

KFS further revealed that the proposed children’s museum by Greenkids Museum Kenya Limited was to occupy eight acres within the same forest site.

In light of the ongoing controversy, KFS has now suspended the construction of the luxury camping facility to allow for further consultations.

The decision came after the Green Belt Movement raised alarm over the unauthorized development within the sanctuary.