The government has abandoned its earlier plan to construct barracks for the National Youth Service (NYS) inside Karura Forest.
According to a source close to the matter, the decision was reached during a Tuesday morning meeting on March 17, 2026, at the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) headquarters.
The meeting was convened by the State Department for Forestry to address growing concerns surrounding the ‘15 Billion Tree Growing Initiative’ and the management of Karura Forest.
“The State Department has agreed that it will not proceed with its earlier plans to house NYS barracks inside the forest,” the source said.
While inviting stakeholders to the meeting, the State Department acknowledged concerns about the disruption that the proposed settlement for NYS cadets within Karura Forest would cause.
“We also note the concerns raised in your letter regarding the proposed settlement for NYS cadets within Karura Forest,” the letter read, “particularly in relation to the protection of the ecological integrity of the forest and the visitor experience within the forest ecosystem.”
After the meeting, KFS, through a post on Facebook, stated that the sustainable management of Karura Forest remains a shared priority for the State Department of Forestry, the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), the Friends of Karura Community Forest Association (FKF-CFA), and other stakeholders, including the forest’s daily visitors who value its role as a key recreational space within Nairobi.
According to KFS, Forest Development Secretary George Tarus chaired a meeting that brought together officials from KFS and FKF-CFA to discuss management issues affecting the forest.
“Mr Tarus noted that both parties appreciated the importance of Karura Forest and had prioritised its proper management for the benefit of present and future generations,” KFS stated.
KFS explained that the pressure to produce sufficient seedlings to support the 15 Billion Tree Growing Campaign, stating that nursery expansion efforts were underway to meet demand.
“The DCCF in charge of Conservancy Coordination, Mr Francis Kariuki, who was representing the Chief Conservator of Forests, Mr Alex Lemarkoko,” KFS said, “the Service was under pressure to produce adequate seedlings for the 15 billion tree growing campaign and had therefore earmarked all its nurseries for expansion in order to meet the seedling demand.”
KFS further stated that Prof. Karanja Njoroge, on behalf of the Friends of Karura, assured them that the conservation group was willing to support the campaign by supplementing KFS’s efforts in seedling production.
According to KFS, the meeting resolved that issues concerning the forest would be raised and addressed amicably.
This follows a recent investigative story in which the Friends of Karura Association told the Nation that, just two days before a group of men with chainsaws arrived to clear the area earmarked for NYS barracks inside Karura Forest, they had held a Joint Management Committee meeting on Thursday, 19 February 2026. The committee, which oversees all Karura projects, neither considered nor approved any plan to clear a section of the forest for this development.
Karura Muthaiga MCA Thuo Fiunifiu, through his Facebook handle, emphasised the importance of constructive engagement in addressing matters related to Karura Forest.
“I commend the Kenya Forest Service and Friends of Karura for embracing dialogue,” MCA Fiunifiu said.
He noted that dialogue between stakeholders reflects a responsible and united effort to protect and manage the forest in line with established legal and management frameworks.
“I urge all stakeholders to strictly adhere to the Karura Forest Participatory Management Plan and the Management Agreement to ensure the forest’s sustainable protection and integrity.” MCA Fiunifiu said.
