Environmentalists take county government to court over erection of stalls in Lions Garden

It was meant to be a boost to the county's economy, not to mention an opportunity to give the once-dilapidated recreational facility a much-needed facelift.

But despite the county government's efforts to transform the look of Lions Garden, a section of local residents seem to have a problem with their plans.

Their main concern is the construction of stalls in the park. On social media, the whole issue has sparked strong criticism against the county government, especially from environmental activists.

James Waikibia, an environmental activist in Nakuru, has been at the forefront of condemning the county government. In his latest Facebook post, he wrote; "It's Lions Garden today, Nyayo Garden tomorrow, and all available public spaces."

And now the fight has gone to court, with the Trusted Society of Human Rights Alliance taking the Nakuru County government to the Environment and Land Court over the construction of stalls in the recreation area.

The case was mentioned before Justice Millicent Odeny on July 30, who ordered the lobby group to serve the county government with the court papers within seven days, to which the county will also respond within the same period.

In an earlier interview with the county's Chief Officer for Environment and Water, Ken Mungai, he said the reason they decided to set up stalls in the recreational park was to bring the nail artists and photographers into the fold as they have been operating there for a long time.

"So, apart from the environmental aspect, we also wanted to empower these vendors who have been operating here for a long time," Mr Mungai says.

Jackson Raini, an environmental activist, strongly disagrees with the Chief Officer's sentiments and says that the park is a recreational park and it is an outdoor space designed primarily for leisure, relaxation and enjoyment.

These spaces he says, should include play areas, picnic areas, seating and must be maintained as purely recreational.

"If the construction of stalls is allowed, the place will gradually turn into a market and environmental degradation will ensue, eventually losing the only carbon sink (natural environment in terms of its ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere) we have in the city centre," Mr Raini says.

The case is set to be mentioned on September 17, 2024.