Former Chief Justice David Maraga was arrested on Monday while protesting plans to excise 76 acres of the Nairobi National Park for construction and the relocation of the city’s animal orphanage.
Maraga, who has also declared interest in the presidency, was among a group of protesters who occupied a section of Lang’ata Road near the Bomas of Kenya when plain-clothed officers rounded them up and took them into custody.
Activist Njeri Mwangi told Citizen TV that Maraga was arrested alongside eight others and taken to Lang’ata police station.
“We know they plan to use 76 acres to build a parking space, and it should not happen because there was no public participation,” Mwangi said. “We came here to stop the action. This is the only park in the capital city, and we are against it.”
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) had announced plans to hive off 76 acres of the Nairobi National Park as part of a Ksh.41.9 billion expansion project for the Bomas of Kenya, which includes the relocation of the 62-year-old animal orphanage.
The total overhaul of the popular Bomas of Kenya and the construction of a new international meetings, conferences, and exhibitions centre, dubbed the Bomas International Convention Centre (BICC), has been touted as one of the Kenya Kwanza government’s flagship projects.
Protesters argue that the park is a national heritage site and should not be used for construction. They also claim that the public was not adequately consulted before the decision was made.
Maraga was later released from police custody, but he refused to leave the station until the other eight activists still being held were also freed.
Details of the exact charges facing the protesters were not immediately clear, with Mwangi stating that the group did not know what offence they had committed.
“I have been informed they have taken him to Lang’ata police station,” she said earlier. “Nine people have been arrested, and we do not know their offence.”
The arrest comes as the Bomas International Convention Complex project is already under scrutiny from members of the National Assembly’s Tourism and Wildlife Committee. Legislators have questioned the Ksh.42 billion price tag, describing the figure as exorbitant and too high compared to other similar facilities in the region.
The committee’s inquiries have added a political dimension to the land dispute, with lawmakers demanding answers on how the project’s cost was justified and whether proper procedures were followed.
Nairobi National Park is one of the most unusual wildlife parks in the world, located just minutes from the central business district of a major capital city. It is home to lions, giraffes, rhinos, zebras, and a wide variety of bird species, with the city’s skyline visible from within the park.
The park is a major tourist attraction and a source of pride for many Kenyans. Any attempt to reduce its size has historically faced strong public opposition. The current plan to hives off 76 acres for the Bomas expansion and the relocation of the animal orphanage has reignited those concerns.
The animal orphanage, which has operated for 62 years, serves as a rehabilitation and education centre for injured and abandoned wildlife. Its proposed relocation has added another layer of controversy to the project.
As of Monday evening, the eight other activists arrested alongside Maraga remained in police custody. Maraga had reportedly refused to leave the station until they were released. Police have not issued an official statement on the arrests or the charges, if any, that the protesters face.
The broader dispute over the Bomas expansion project and the excision of land from the national park is expected to continue, with legislators vowing to scrutinise the project further and activists promising to keep up their opposition.
For Maraga, the arrest adds another chapter to his post-judicial career, which has seen him become an increasingly vocal figure on issues of governance and public interest.
