Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja says he was shocked by the extent of tree felling along State House Road, warning that mature trees should not be removed for infrastructure projects without proper approval and justification.
Sakaja said he “almost collapsed” when he saw what had been done along the road, saying trees that had taken decades to grow were being removed in a matter of hours.
He spoke in his latest episode of Nairobi Asked. The Governor Answered, part of his Nairobi, Let’s Talk podcast, where he responded to questions and comments from residents.
“When I saw what had been done along State House Road, I almost collapsed,” Sakaja said.
He said while some trees may have to be removed where they pose a safety risk or interfere with infrastructure, such action should be properly justified and authorised by the Nairobi City County Government.
Sakaja said the requirement applies to government agencies as well as private developers.
“I know they’re expanding that road. But sometimes we can avoid too much. You know, a tree takes decades, decades to grow. And then you cut it in one night,” he said.
Sakaja said the county already requires those seeking to cut trees to obtain permission and provide justification, including where a tree is dangerously positioned, obstructing infrastructure or could fall and cause harm.
He said the county’s position is also that where a tree has to be removed for a justified reason, the person or institution responsible should plant several replacement trees rather than replacing it on a one-for-one basis.
But he questioned the environmental value of that approach where mature trees are removed, noting that replacement trees would take years to reach the same size.
“How many years will it take to grow?” Sakaja asked.
His remarks follow an earlier warning in July when he said government agencies, contractors and private developers must obtain approval before cutting trees in Nairobi.
He also said those responsible for unauthorised tree felling should face penalties and be required to restore lost tree cover.
Sakaja said the county would also enforce requirements for developers to retain trees and provide green spaces when putting up new buildings.
He said Nairobi’s mature trees were part of the city’s environmental character and should be regarded as a legacy for future generations.
“The thing with trees, we say, is that you plant the tree for other generations. And we enjoy the shade of trees planted by people before us who very likely didn’t enjoy that shade,” he said.
Sakaja said infrastructure development should therefore be balanced with environmental protection, arguing that projects can sometimes be redesigned or implemented in ways that minimise the loss of mature trees.
He said the county would continue engaging national agencies and other actors to ensure development projects comply with planning and environmental requirements.
“Trees give some soul,” he said, pointing to the jacaranda-lined boulevards that create purple-coloured streets when the trees shed their flowers.
