Nelson Amenya, the whistleblower who exposed the controversial JKIA deal with Adani Group, is back with new claims surrounding the ownership of the luxurious hotel inside Ngong Road Forest.
Amenya reportedly linked the controversial construction of eco camps to the wife of a senior United Democratic Alliance (UDA) MP.
He alleged that the project aims to accommodate guests during the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
The whistleblower called on Kenyans to demand accountability and resist what he termed blatant impunity.
”These people must be held accountable at some point. We cannot go on like this. It’s too much,” Amenya stated as quoted by Kenyans.
The revelation comes after the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) unveiled the contractor behind the mega project.
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During a stakeholders’ engagement forum at the Ngong Road Sanctuary on Tuesday, KFS intimated that Konyon Company Ltd won the tender to construct 11 cottages within the premise.
However, the National Environment Management Authority NEMA revealed it did not issue any license for the project.
NEMA further revealed that the initial environmental impact assessment was done by a private consultant hired by Konyon Company, not a regulatory body, questioning why the project began without public participation or official approval.
While KFS reported the construction of 11 cottages, NEMA noted that 20 cottages were to be constructed.
The cottages would include 20 luxury tented units designed with canvas and stone, a medium tent reception, recreational and dining areas, a hexadome restaurant, a breakfast tent, a yoga deck, an open-field restaurant, an alfresco dining area, and a meeting room.
Other features include wellness and activity spaces, including a wellness center with a sauna, steam room, and massage facilities, a concrete kitchen (150m²) with adjacent storage, a linen/laundry room, staff accommodation, a security cabin and an electric room.
NEMA is further waiting explanation on why concrete buildings have been erected on site despite directing that the eco-lodge was to be constructed using only degradable materials.
Following the Green Belt Movement exposé on the illegal activity in the sanctuary, KFS has suspended the construction of the camping facility pending further consultations.
