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For a moment, the sight along State House Road left Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja struggling to contain his reaction. What he saw after trees were cut down has now sparked a fresh debate about development, environmental protection and the future of Nairobi’s green spaces. Read Full Article Here
Sakaja said he “almost collapsed” when he saw what had happened along State House Road, where mature trees had been removed amid ongoing road expansion works.
He specifically mentioned Kenya Power and the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) while discussing the issue.
The governor acknowledged that infrastructure development is necessary but questioned whether so many mature trees needed to be removed. According to Sakaja, replacing the trees cannot immediately restore what has been lost because some take decades to reach maturity.
His remarks have placed renewed attention on how Nairobi balances major infrastructure projects with environmental conservation.
Sakaja also issued a warning to agencies, contractors and private developers, saying trees should not be removed without county approval and proper justification. He said exceptions could apply where a tree presents a safety risk or interferes with essential infrastructure.
But his message went beyond existing trees. The governor said developers would be required to maintain a certain number of trees and green spaces within their projects, signalling tighter attention to environmental requirements in the city.
The comments have already generated discussion as Nairobi continues to expand and undergo major construction works.
For Sakaja, the State House Road experience appears to have reinforced a broader message: development and environmental protection must be considered together, particularly when mature trees that took decades to grow are involved.
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