KFS: Londiani Forest Airstrip Public Views Invited for ESIA

• The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) is seeking public comments on a proposed airstrip at Londiani Forest Station in Kericho County.
• A KFS stakeholder meeting is scheduled for October 15, 2026, as part of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment process, with written submissions due by October 22, 2026.
• This public consultation follows recent Environment and Land Court rulings that suspended or cancelled forest development projects due to insufficient environmental protection and public participation.
• In June, plans for a State Lodge, airstrip, and golf course in Upper Imenti Forest were suspended after a challenge by Rhino Ark Charitable Trust over wildlife habitat concerns.
• In February, licenses for a golf range and restaurant in Ngong Road Forest were cancelled by the court, citing a failure to meet constitutional requirements for environmental protection and public participation.

The ongoing process for the KFS Londiani Forest airstrip public views serves as a critical juncture for all stakeholders involved in infrastructure development within Kenya's natural forests.

The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has formally invited the public to provide feedback regarding a proposed airstrip development within the Londiani Forest Station, situated in Kericho County. This call for public participation is a crucial step in the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) process for the planned infrastructure project. The agency has scheduled a KFS stakeholder meeting for October 15, 2026, where interested parties are encouraged to attend and voice their opinions.

Members of the public are specifically urged to participate in this upcoming KFS stakeholder meeting in October 2026, sharing their views, comments, and any concerns they may have about the Kericho County airstrip proposal. For those unable to attend in person, the KFS has indicated that representatives may be sent on their behalf. Furthermore, written submissions detailing public views on the KFS Londiani Forest airstrip are being accepted through official KFS channels, with a deadline set for October 22, 2026.

This initiative to gather public views on the KFS Londiani Forest airstrip proposal emerges at a time of increasing legal and environmental scrutiny surrounding plans for infrastructure and recreational facilities within Kenya's public forests. Recent judicial decisions underscore the critical importance of adhering to constitutional requirements for environmental protection and robust public participation in forest development Kenya projects. These precedents highlight the legal risks associated with projects that fail to meet these standards.

One significant case occurred in June, when the Environment and Land Court in Meru issued an order to suspend plans for a State Lodge, an airstrip, and a golf course in the Upper Imenti Forest. Justice Oguttu Mboya's ruling barred the Meru County Government, the KFS, and other involved parties from proceeding with these developments. This injunction remains in effect pending the full hearing and determination of a case initiated by the conservation group Rhino Ark Charitable Trust, which argued that the proposed projects would adversely affect wildlife habitat within the vital Mount Kenya ecosystem. Christian Lambrechts, Executive Director of Rhino Ark, specifically noted that Upper Imenti Forest serves as an essential elephant habitat and a critical wildlife corridor connecting the Mount Kenya forest ecosystem to northern conservation areas, including the Shaba National Reserve.

Another pertinent ruling from the Environment and Land Court in February saw the cancellation of licenses for a proposed private golf range and restaurant planned for Nairobi's Ngong Road Forest. The court's judgment, delivered on February 26, found that the project had failed to satisfy constitutional requirements concerning environmental protection and public participation. This case, brought by the Law Society of Kenya against Karura Golf Range Limited and several other respondents, resulted in the quashing of both a Special Use Licence issued by the KFS and an Environmental Impact Assessment licence granted by the National Environment Management Authority.

The cancelled project had intended to establish a golf range, a restaurant, and a mini-golf park within the Miotoni Block of the gazetted forest. These Environment and Land Court forest projects rulings collectively establish a clear legal framework, signaling that future infrastructure developments in Kenyan forests, including the Londiani Forest Environmental Impact Assessment, must demonstrate rigorous adherence to environmental safeguards and comprehensive public engagement to avoid similar legal challenges and ensure their legitimacy.

The ongoing process for the KFS Londiani Forest airstrip public views serves as a critical juncture for all stakeholders involved in infrastructure development within Kenya's natural forests. The recent judicial precedents from the Environment and Land Court underscore the heightened scrutiny that such projects now face, particularly concerning environmental impact assessments and the constitutional imperative for public participation. This development signals a critical window for stakeholders to influence project outcomes and mitigate future legal challenges by actively engaging in the KFS public consultation process.

For legal professionals advising on infrastructure development in Kenyan forests, these cases highlight the necessity of ensuring that all statutory and constitutional requirements for environmental protection and public participation are meticulously met from the outset. The KFS stakeholder meeting in October 2026 and the subsequent written submission period for the Londiani Forest Environmental Impact Assessment represent a crucial opportunity for the public to shape the future of this Kericho County airstrip proposal and for the Kenya Forest Service to demonstrate its commitment to transparent and legally compliant forest management.

Lawyers advising on infrastructure development in Kenyan forests must note the heightened scrutiny and judicial precedent regarding environmental impact assessments and public participation, as evidenced by recent court rulings. This development signals a critical window for stakeholders to influence project outcomes and mitigate future legal challenges by actively engaging in the KFS public consultation process.

Source: Original reporting via Capital FM