A plan to establish a safe wildlife corridor from Nairobi National Park to the Kapiti plains in Machakos County is underway, offering hope for dozens of animals threatened by rising urban development and blocked migration routes.

According to a detailed report by a nine-member task force chaired by Dr Helen Gichohi, the corridor is designed to reconnect the increasingly isolated park with the Athi-Kapiti ecosystem, which is key to animal dispersal.

The plan, submitted in July 2021 to then Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala, outlines a proposed 100-metre wide passage beginning at the southeastern boundary of the park and stretching across various government and private lands.

The project is estimated to cost Sh622.5 million, with Sh550 million set aside for a wildlife overpass along Namanga Road, Sh50 million for an underpass at Viwandani Road within the Export Processing Zone (EPZ), and Sh22.5 million for fencing about 15 kilometres of the route.

The corridor is expected to pass through the former Sheep and Goat Research Facility land and a Kenya Pipeline Corporation wayleave before entering East African Portland Cement (EAPC) land.

From there, it will move to the edge of EPZ property west of Namanga Road, where an overpass will allow animals to safely cross the busy highway.

The path will continue through the EPZ, cross the metre-gauge railway line, re-enter EAPC land, and finally extend into the Kapiti plains. The corridor will widen to 200 metres at its end as it joins the Swara Conservancy.

The task force has cautioned that the total cost may increase due to expected compensation for institutions and businesses located along the route. It has proposed relocating some investors and cancelling leases to free up land.

To minimise the financial load on taxpayers, the report urges the government to seek support from development partners and conservation groups.

Wildlife Principal Secretary Silvia Museiya said the project had the support of President William Ruto and was awaiting Cabinet approval.

“Nairobi National Park is increasingly cut off by human settlements and infrastructure. If we don’t act, it risks becoming a national zoo. The ministry is optimistic that this corridor will eventually connect to the Amboseli ecosystem,” she said.

The Nairobi National Park, covering 117 square kilometres, is one of the few national parks in the world situated within a capital city. The Kapiti plains, part of the wider Athi-Kapiti ecosystem, span 13,000 hectares and support a wide range of wildlife including zebras, giraffes, elands, wildebeests, lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, impalas, warthogs and various gazelle species.

The corridor is expected to not only ease animal movement but also help reduce increasing human-wildlife conflict around the city as development continues to narrow traditional migration paths.