– Nairobi, Kenya
Kenyan police fired tear gas on Monday to disperse dozens of environmental activists protesting a development project within Nairobi National Park. Officers arrested at least nine people, including former Chief Justice David Maraga, outside the park's main entrance on Lang'ata Avenue.
The protesters opposed government plans to expropriate parkland for construction, including a large parking lot with space for more than 1,000 vehicles. Activists argued that the project would encroach on protected wildlife habitat in Africa's only national park located within a capital city, home to rhinos, lions, buffalo, and leopards, with the Nairobi skyline as a backdrop.
Maraga joined the march to deliver a petition opposing the proposed land-use changes. His arrest, along with that of other protesters, significantly increased the visibility of the demonstration, which remained peaceful until police intervened to disperse the crowd.
The protesters carried banners with the slogan ‘Nature is not wasteland’ and expressed their concern about the lack of proper consultation. The Kenya Wildlife Service defended the initiative, stating that its aim is to expand the Nairobi Animal Orphanage, not to undermine the park's primary conservation mission.
Those arrested, including former Chief Justice David Maraga, were taken to the Lang'ata police station. Maraga remains in custody.