Nairobi, Sept 13 – The East African Wild Life Society (EAWLS) today voiced concern over the continuation of work related to the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) inside the Nairobi National Park in what the Society said could be blatant disregard of a judicial order halting such activities.
The National Environment Tribunal (NET) on 5 April 2017 ordered the Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) to halt railway construction in the park after a petition by civil society.
EAWLS said in a press release that it had learnt that KRC and China Roads & Bridge Corporation (CRBC) have continued SGR-related activities in the park in an apparent disregard of the court order.
The court injunction stated that “all activities relating to the appeal in question must be stopped until the appeal is heard and determined by the Tribunal.”
Construction of the railway in the park is being challenged by Kenya Coalition for Wildlife Conservation and Management and activist Okiya Omtatah. The lobby has argued that the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) irregularly awarded KRC an environment impact assessment licence paving the way for work to start inside the park.
The petitioners maintain that the licence was hurriedly issued in controversial circumstances and without consultations with institutions responsible for wildlife and environment conservation.
EAWLS stressed that due process of the law must followed on all matters related to natural resources and the environment. “In this regard, EAWLS wishes to reemphasize the need for Kenya Railways to comply with the STOP ORDERS issued by NET and respect the rule of law and subsequently stop any activities related to the SGR Phase 2A with immediate effect,” according to the press release.
Conservationists have been critical of the decision to route the railway through the Nairobi National Park, which they said ignored the railroad’s effect of wildlife.
