Nairobi City lawyer Charles Mugane has filed a petition seeking to stop the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) from managing and collecting revenue at the iconic City Park.
In court documents, Mugane contends that the park’s management lawfully belongs to the Nairobi County Government but was irregularly taken over by KFS. He claims the takeover occurred in 2018 during the tenure of former governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko, when several county functions were transferred to the national government.
The lawyer accuses KFS officers of harassing visitors and collecting entrance fees that are not remitted to official government accounts. He argues that the agency’s continued control of City Park has fostered mismanagement, eroded accountability, and limited the public’s free access to the recreational space.
Mugane further notes that other county functions, including health, transport, and education, were also moved from City Hall around the same period, with the associated revenues allegedly managed through the National Bank of Kenya.
“The revenue collected by KFS at City Park cannot be traced, and visitors are no longer able to freely enjoy bird and animal viewing as before,” Mugane states in his petition.
He is now asking the court to issue an injunction restraining KFS from managing or interfering with the operations of City Park until the case is fully heard and determined.
