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Kenya, 27 July 2026 - Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has issued a stern warning to government agencies, contractors and private developers over the indiscriminate cutting of trees in the city without approval from the county government.
Sakaja said that the county government was concerned by the increasing destruction of mature trees in the city, including areas near State House and along Nairobi’s roads in recent months, to pave the way for road expansion projects and the installation of electricity infrastructure.
The county chief has said that he will convene a meeting with key government agencies this week to develop a coordinated strategy to protect Nairobi's tree cover.
"No agency or individual is supposed to cut down trees without permission from the county. It is illegal. I have seen a lot of destruction along our roads in Nairobi, including near State House. I have called a meeting with several agencies so that we can discuss this matter," Sakaja said.
Several mature trees have already been felled near State House, while dozens of others.
Sakaja urged developers to be considerate since many of the trees in the city have taken decades to grow and are irreplaceable, stressing that while infrastructure such as power lines could be relocated, mature trees could not simply be replaced once they were cut down.
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Sakaja said that during the Council of Governors Summit, counties resolved that any development requiring the removal of trees must first receive approval from the relevant county government.
"A power line can be relocated, but not a tree. Some trees have taken decades to grow to the way they are now. It is illegal to cut them down without written approval from the Director of Environment," Sakaja said.
Sakaja has said that preserving Nairobi’s urban forest is critical to building a sustainable and climate-resilient city.