Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika has warned the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) against cutting down trees in Nakuru City without the county's approval, following a public outcry over the felling of mature Jacaranda trees to make way for road works.

In a statement on Sunday, 11 October, Kihika said the county government had stepped in to halt the exercise. She said any future tree removal would require county approval, which would only be granted where felling was necessary for road expansion.

"They initially didn't seek the approvals as required before felling the trees," the governor said, according to Kenyans.co.ke. KURA had not publicly responded to her claims by the time of publication.

Governor distances county from the works

Kihika had come under heavy criticism online, with some residents accusing her administration of disregarding environmental conservation. Responding on X, she said the county was not responsible for the road project.

"If you bothered to do a little research you would know it's KURA doing those roads and NOT Nakuru County Government," Kihika wrote, as reported by People Daily.

Urban roads in Kenya's cities fall under KURA, a national government agency, while counties control matters such as physical planning and the management of trees and green spaces within their jurisdiction.

Why the trees matter

The trees affected stand along Oginga Odinga Road, one of the city's main thoroughfares. NTV reported on 30 September that the Jacarandas were being cleared gradually for the dualling of a five-kilometre stretch of the road, which KURA says will ease congestion and handle rising traffic in one of Kenya's fastest-growing cities. Other reports say space is also being created for modern pedestrian walkways as part of city beautification works.

The Jacarandas, many of them planted during the colonial era, are a defining feature of Nakuru's streets and are prized for their shade and the purple blossoms that carpet the roads around October each year. For many residents, their removal has felt like the loss of part of the city's identity.

"They wanted more space for pedestrians, so they cut down the beautiful Jacaranda trees," one resident complained, according to Kenyans.co.ke.

Similar row in Nairobi

The Nakuru dispute comes as residents in Nairobi have protested against the felling of mature trees along State House Road, which reports say is being cleared for a possible dual carriageway. Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has also questioned the removal of the trees, saying such work requires county approval and proper justification, and has previously warned agencies and contractors against illegally cutting down mature trees.

What happens next

Kihika did not say how many trees had already been cut, whether any of the remaining Jacarandas would be spared, or whether KURA would be required to replant. Residents and conservationists are likely to watch closely whether the authority now seeks county consent before the road works continue.

Photo: McKay Savage / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0