Kenya has approved an ambitious plan to reconnect Nairobi National Park with its traditional wildlife dispersal zones in Machakos and Kajiado counties.
- •The Cabinet has given approved the Nairobi National Park–Athi-Kapiti Wildlife Corridor, a three-year project designed to secure critical migratory routes and reduce escalating human-wildlife conflict on the city’s southern fringes.
- •The corridor will include land acquisition, wildlife-friendly fencing, and the construction of overpasses and underpasses to allow safe animal crossings.
- •If successful, the project could restore tens of thousands of hectares of natural habitat, boost wildlife tourism, and serve as a model for reconnecting other fragmented conservation areas across the country.
“This initiative will secure the ecological integrity of Nairobi National Park and ensure the long-term survival of its migratory species,” a Cabinet brief noted, linking the project to Kenya’s Vision 2030 and global biodiversity goals.
Portions of public land, including parts of the Export Processing Zone (EPZ), will be surrendered to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) for conservation use.
The corridor plan follows a 2023 presidential directive calling for urgent measures to address habitat fragmentation threatening species such as zebra, wildebeest, and gazelles. Conservationists have long warned that expanding housing estates, roads, and fencing have cut off the park’s historic link to the Athi-Kapiti plains, once a thriving wildlife migration route.
The government said the corridor will be implemented through partnerships with conservation agencies and innovative financing models such as nature bonds and debt-for-nature swaps. The move aligns with Kenya’s growing focus on using market-based instruments to fund climate and biodiversity projects.
The initiative builds on the Wildlife Corridors and Dispersal Areas Report (2016), which identified the Athi-Kapiti route as one of Kenya’s most threatened ecosystems. Officials said restoring it will enhance the park’s ecological resilience and reduce conflict between wildlife and nearby communities.
The wildlife corridor approval was part of a wide-ranging Cabinet session chaired by President William Ruto at State House, which also endorsed:
- •A Comprehensive Framework for Infrastructure Projects Pricing to curb inflated project costs and improve transparency.
- •A waiver of KSh12.3 billion in interest and penalties on land settlement loans to benefit low-income settlers.
- •The dualling of the Muthaiga–Kiambu–Ndumberi road, a key project to ease congestion and support Nairobi’s metropolitan transport network.
- •The establishment of Kenyan embassies in the Vatican City, Copenhagen, and Hanoi to expand diplomatic and development partnerships.
