Security forces in Kenya escalate their crackdown on protesters during demonstrations in Nairobi.

Written by Ziad Abdel Fattah: 

Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, witnessed a security escalation on Monday after riot police fired tear gas to disperse dozens of protesters who took to the streets to demonstrate against government plans to build within part of Nairobi National Park.

Kenya arrests 9 protesters, including a former chief justice

Reuters correspondents reported that security forces stormed the protest site at the park's main entrance and arrested at least nine people, including former Chief Justice David Maraga, in a move that sparked widespread controversy over the authorities' handling of the protesters.

In contrast, the Kenya Wildlife Service defended the project, explaining that it aims to expand the animal orphanage within the park, which is the only one of its kind in Africa because it is located within the boundaries of a major capital city.

However, the protesters rejected these justifications, asserting that the project, which includes the construction of a parking lot that can accommodate more than a thousand vehicles, represents an encroachment on one of the most prominent nature reserves in the country.

The protesters raised banners bearing slogans including “Nature is not a blank slate,” expressing their rejection of what they described as harm to the environment.

The garden is located Nairobi The National Park is only about 10 kilometers from the central business district and is one of Kenya’s most prominent environmental landmarks, home to multiple species of wildlife, including rhinos, lions and buffalo, in a unique setting that combines wildlife with the modern city skyline.

Environmental activist Nyagothi Chigge told reporters at the protest site: “We are here because Nairobi National Park is under new threat, and we reject any attempts to undermine this natural heritage.”.