Nairobi National Park is the only park in the world that borders a capital city skyline. That closeness is the whole draw, lions grazing plains with skyscrapers behind them. It is also now the center of a land fight. In December 2025, Kenya’s environmental regulator licensed the conversion of 76 acres of park land, cleared of indigenous trees, for a convention centre project. Touring Insights breaks down what was approved, who is challenging it, and what a visitor to the park should actually know right now.
What Happened: The NEMA Licence and the 76 Acres
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) issued licence number NEMA/ENVIS/CPR/LIC 0940 on December 3, 2025. It authorized Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to convert 31 hectares, about 76 acres, of park land carrying indigenous forest cover. The land sits near the Bomas of Kenya cultural centre, which borders the park’s Langata boundary.
KWS began clearing trees soon after. Friends of Nairobi National Park (FoNNaP) says the licence and its environmental impact assessment were never made public before the clearing started. The group only learned of the approval in February 2026, more than two months after it was signed.
The Sh41.9 Billion Bomas Convention Centre Project
The cleared land will carry a bridge connecting to the Bomas International Convention Centre (BICC), a Sh41.9 billion development next to the existing Bomas of Kenya grounds. Court filings describe two further pieces of the plan: an 8-acre, 1,300-vehicle parking facility, and relocation of the 62-year-old Nairobi Animal Orphanage into another section of the park. Together, petitioners argue, the full project could push the park’s cumulative land loss toward 4% over the past decade.
| Detail | Figure | Source / status |
|---|---|---|
| Land licensed for conversion | 76 acres (31 hectares) | NEMA licence NEMA/ENVIS/CPR/LIC 0940, issued Dec 3, 2025 |
| Convention centre project cost | Sh41.9 billion | Bomas International Convention Centre (BICC) |
| Proposed parking facility | 8 acres, 1,300 vehicles | Cited in Environment and Land Court filings |
| Nairobi Animal Orphanage | 62 years old, relocation proposed | Would move to another site inside the park |
| Estimated cumulative park loss | Up to ~4% over 10 years | Petitioners’ court filing estimate, not yet confirmed by KWS |
| Nairobi National Park total size | 117 km2 (45 sq mi) | KWS park data |
Why Conservationists Call This an “Existential Threat”
The Green Belt Movement, founded by the late Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai, called the tree clearing an “existential threat to one of Kenya’s most iconic ecological treasures.” FoNNaP, JustAct, and Greenpeace Africa joined the group in convening public protest over the development. Their core complaint is not only the tree loss. It is precedent. Nairobi National Park has surrendered land in pieces for decades, a road here, a pipeline there. Conservationists argue each excision looks small alone but adds up over time.
Kenya’s Auditor-General has separately flagged the project as irregular, though construction has continued while that finding is unresolved.
The Court Case and the Arrests
A Nairobi resident, Matasi Yatundu, filed a petition at the Environment and Land Court seeking to halt the excision. The petition names Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano and argues the process violated constitutional requirements for public participation before land is converted. It calls the park “protected public land” that cannot be excised without due process.
Tension escalated on June 8, 2026, when police disrupted a planned procession to the park. Nine people were arrested, including retired Chief Justice David Maraga, who had joined the protest. Rights groups demanded their release within days. The arrests pulled international attention to a dispute that had, until then, mostly run through court filings and local press.
Nairobi National Park by the Numbers
For travelers weighing whether to still visit, or wondering how the dispute fits into the park most people know for a quick game drive between flights, here are the working facts.
| Reference point | Figure | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Park size | 117 km2 (45 sq mi) | One of Africa’s smallest national parks by area |
| Distance from Nairobi CBD | Approx. 7-10 km / 20-30 min drive | Closest major park to any African capital |
| Distance from JKIA airport | Approx. 15 km / 25-35 min drive | Common half-day stop before or after flights |
| Non-resident adult gate fee (2026) | Indicative ~$80 USD/day, confirm with KWS | Rose 86% from $43 in early 2026 |
| Main access gates | Main Gate, East Gate, Langata Gate, Cheetah Gate | Langata Gate sits closest to the disputed land |
| Southern boundary | Open to Athi-Kapiti plains via wildlife corridor | No fence; supports migratory movement south |
Nairobi National Park’s Land Story: Loss vs Gain in 2026
This dispute is not the only land story touching the park this year. In a separate move, Kenya’s Cabinet approved surrendering public and EPZ land to reconnect the Nairobi National Park-Athi-Kapiti wildlife corridor south of the park, a rare instance of land moving back toward conservation rather than away from it.
| Story | Direction | Land involved | Status as of July 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bomas Convention Centre excision | Park loses land | 76 acres confirmed, up to 89 more proposed | Cleared, contested in court |
| Athi-Kapiti corridor restoration | Park gains protected access | Public/EPZ land surrendered to KWS | Cabinet-approved, implementation pending |
| Nairobi Animal Orphanage relocation | Land reassigned within park | Site not yet finalized | Proposed, part of BICC court challenge |
The two stories sit on opposite ends of the same question: how much say the park gets over its own boundaries.
What This Means for Travelers and Conservation-Minded Visitors
Nairobi National Park remains open and operating normally as of this writing. Game drives, the Ivory Burning Site memorial, and the Nairobi Safari Walk continue on their usual schedules. The disputed land sits near the Langata boundary and Bomas of Kenya, not inside the main game-viewing circuit most visitors use.
Still, the dispute matters to anyone booking a trip with conservation impact in mind. Ask your tour operator or lodge directly whether they have taken a public position on the excision, or whether park fees route back into anti-poaching and habitat work unaffected by the dispute. Wildlife photographers and conservation-focused travelers, the audience most likely to notice a felled tree line near a park boundary, may want to time a visit before construction traffic picks up near Langata Gate.
Explorer Notes
A few things worth knowing if you are visiting soon or just tracking the story. First, the cleared land sits close to Bomas of Kenya, reachable from Forest Edge Road off Langata Road, not near the park’s main Nairobi Safari Walk entrance most first-time visitors use.
Second, this is not the park’s first land dispute. Older residents and long-time guides will tell you about the electric fence expansions and road realignments of past decades. What is different in 2026 is the speed of the response, court filings, protests, and arrests, within months of the licence going public.
Third, if you want to see the disputed area for yourself, ask a Langata-based guide rather than booking a standard game-drive package. Most standard circuits run toward the park’s southern plains, away from the Bomas boundary entirely.
Finally, check current park operating status directly with KWS before a visit. Court proceedings can occasionally affect access near active construction zones, even when the main park stays open.
What to Read Next
- Curious what the park’s gate fees actually cover in 2026? Read our Nairobi National Park entry fee 2026 guide.
- Want the other side of this year’s land news? See our Athi-Kapiti wildlife corridor approval piece.
- Planning a short Nairobi stopover safari? Check our Tour Packages page for operator-run half-day options near JKIA.
FAQ
How much land is Nairobi National Park losing to the Bomas Convention Centre project? NEMA licensed the conversion of 76 acres (31 hectares) in December 2025. Court filings describe a further 89 acres under proposal, including an 8-acre parking facility and an animal orphanage relocation site.
Is Nairobi National Park still open to visitors? Yes. The park continues normal operations, including game drives and the Nairobi Safari Walk. The disputed land sits near the Langata boundary and Bomas of Kenya, away from the main visitor circuit.
Who is opposing the land excision? Friends of Nairobi National Park, the Green Belt Movement, JustAct, and Greenpeace Africa have publicly opposed the project. A resident petitioner, Matasi Yatundu, has filed a case at the Environment and Land Court against Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano.
What happened at the June 2026 protest? Police disrupted a planned procession to the park on June 8, 2026. Nine people were arrested, including retired Chief Justice David Maraga. Rights groups called for their release.
Does this affect park entry fees or safety for tourists? No changes to gate fees or general visitor safety have been reported in connection with the dispute. Confirm current operating status with KWS directly before visiting, especially if your itinerary includes the Langata Gate area.
Nairobi National Park is not closing, and its lions are not going anywhere. But the land under its boundary is being renegotiated in real time, acre by acre, in a courtroom a short drive from the animals themselves. If a Nairobi stopover safari is on your itinerary, check our Tour Packages page for operators running current, verified routes through the park. Or ask a partner operator directly how they source their conservation fees before you book.
