Nairobi residents are angry after a stretch of mature trees along State House Road was cut down, leaving the road blocked with branches and debris. Pictures from Sunday, October 11, show the busy road covered in tangled branches and logs, with vehicles unable to pass. Pedestrians, including families, were seen climbing over the wreckage on foot.
The pictures also raise questions about how the trees were cut. An analysis of the images suggests that many of the trees were brought down with power saws rather than falling on their own, and some men can be seen cutting through the timber with machetes. Reports say the trees are being removed to make room for a possible expansion of the road into a dual carriageway, although this has not been independently confirmed.
Nelson Havi, a city advocate and Westlands MP aspirant, has been one of the loudest voices against the move. He argued that Lower State House Road carries very little traffic, so he asked what justification there could be for cutting down trees that are about 50 years old just to widen the road. Havi has spoken out against tree cutting along the same road before.
Social media users are also divided. One frustrated resident said that with climate change already hitting the country, cutting down trees from water towers to the city centre should not be happening at all. Others, however, believe the old trees could be dangerous to drivers and pedestrians if they are left standing, especially with the El Niño rains expected in the coming months.
Local groups, including the Kilimani Community Foundation, have opposed the proposed expansion of State House Road too. They argue that wider roads tend to attract more cars instead of easing traffic jams. The same groups staged protests against the project in June.
The latest outcry comes months after Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja warned government agencies, contractors and private developers against cutting mature trees illegally. He said every tree felling needs a written permit from the county Environment Director, and he threatened arrests and penalties for those who break the rules. His warning also covered state agencies such as KeNHA, KURA and Kenya Power. He told offenders to plant several replacement trees, but many residents doubt that young seedlings can ever make up for trees that have stood for decades.
For now, it is not clear whether the felling was approved, and the agencies involved have not publicly explained the work. Residents want answers, and many are asking whether the rules Sakaja set out are being followed on the ground.
