By Nyang’au Araka
Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust has formally petitioned the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to immediately stop the ongoing construction of an airstrip inside the Upper Imenti Forest Reserve.
The trust warned that the project threatens one of Kenya’s most important water catchments, wildlife habitats and conservation areas.
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In a letter dated June 15, 2026, addressed to NEMA Director General Dr. Mamo B. Mamo, as well as in a press statement, Rhino Ark raised concerns over what it described as a lack of public participation, absence of an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), and failure to obtain the necessary environmental licence before construction commenced.
“The Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust wishes to state its objection to the on-going construction of an airstrip in the Upper Imenti Forest Reserve,” wrote Executive Director Christian Lambrechts.
The conservation group, which says it has invested more than KSh1 billion over the last 14 years in constructing 320 kilometres of electric fencing around the Mt. Kenya forest ecosystem, argues that the project risks undermining decades of conservation gains.
According to Rhino Ark, 54 kilometres of the fencing protect the Upper and Lower Imenti forests, helping reduce human-wildlife conflict that previously claimed an average of five lives annually among neighbouring communities.
The organization noted that the Upper Imenti Forest forms part of the Mt. Kenya ecosystem, one of Kenya’s five major water towers.
The forest sits on the hydrological divide between the Tana and Ewaso Nyiro river basins, both of which support millions of Kenyans through domestic water supply, irrigation and hydropower generation.
Rhino Ark further warned that the airstrip could have severe consequences for biodiversity in the area.
The Mt. Kenya ecosystem hosts hundreds of plant species, including 81 that are endemic, as well as globally significant wildlife populations such as elephants, black rhinos, bongos, leopards and numerous bird species.
Particular concern was raised about the location of the proposed airstrip, which the organization says lies within an area of high elephant concentration and close to a known elephant maternity zone.
“During the dry season, the Upper Imenti Forest has the highest density of elephants. This is exactly where the airstrip is being constructed,” the letter states.
Rhino Ark also argued that the Upper and Lower Imenti forests form a critical wildlife corridor linking Mt. Kenya with conservation areas in northern Kenya, including Shaba National Reserve.
The corridor is used extensively by elephants moving between ecosystems.
Further, the organization claims the project contravenes several national laws and policy frameworks.
These include the Forest Conservation and Management Act, the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, Kenya’s Vision 2030, the National Spatial Plan 2015-2045 and the National Climate Change Action Plan.
According to the letter, existing forest management plans designate the affected area as a natural forest zone intended for conservation, wildlife protection and sustainable tourism, with no provision for construction of an airstrip.
Rhino Ark also questioned the need for a new airstrip, pointing to the existence of Gaitu Airstrip, located about 14 kilometres southeast of Meru Town.
The organization proposed upgrading the existing facility instead, arguing that it would be more cost-effective and have significantly lower environmental impacts.
The trust further maintained that the project undermines Kenya’s international commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the global 30×30 conservation target, which seeks to protect at least 30 per cent of the planet’s land and water by 2030.
“Considering the concerns presented above, we respectfully request NEMA, as the national environmental watchdog, to stop the construction of the airstrip in the Upper Imenti Forest Reserve,” Lambrechts said.
Copies of the letter were sent to senior government officials, including the Head of Public Service, Cabinet Secretaries responsible for Environment, Transport and Tourism, as well as the heads of the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
