Crowds Storm Meeting on Controversial State Lodge Project

Jukwaa

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The meeting, held by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) on Wednesday, July 8, was convened to collect public views as part of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the proposed project.

The disruption began after environmentalist KamaNu M’tuamwari announced he was submitting a petition containing more than 7,000 signatures from people opposed to the development.

Videos from the scene reviewed by this publication showed sections of the crowd shouting him down before the meeting descended into disorder, forcing police officers to escort him away from the stage and venue.

📌 What You Need to Know

Security personnel were also seen preventing several people from advancing towards the podium as the moderator unsuccessfully attempted to restore order.

Greenpeace Africa Communications Manager Sherie Gakii claimed the meeting had been overtaken by political interests, alleging that paid community members orchestrated the disruption.

“He was submitting over 7,000 signatures to KFS to say that these are all the people who are opposing, people who could not be here today but have put down their voice in this petition. And in that process, we saw goons, paid community members and also community forest associations heckling and chasing him, forcing him to run away,” she said.

The forum was called after opponents of the project accused the government of initiating the project before completing the required public participation process.

Reports now indicate that a court has suspended the public participation on the proposed excision of Imenti Forest for the construction after petitioners argued that the 24-hour notice issued for the exercise was insufficient.

The latest confrontation comes as legal challenges continue over proposed developments within Imenti Forest, with the Environment and Land Court having extended orders stopping construction in the protected forest.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke

0 0