Former Chief Justice David Maraga Challenges Kenya Forest Service’s New Payment Policy at Karura Forest
Former Chief Justice David Maraga has publicly criticized the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) for mandating all payments at Karura Forest to be processed exclusively through the eCitizen platform, describing the directive as problematic and lacking proper public consultation.
Maraga argued that the decision contravenes Article 10 of the Kenyan Constitution, which mandates citizen participation in governance matters. He expressed concern over the recent increase in entrance fees and questioned the integrity of the eCitizen platform, citing previous Auditor-General reports that raised significant issues regarding its transparency and accountability.
“The hike in entrance fees combined with the enforced use of the eCitizen platform-already flagged by the Auditor-General for serious concerns-raises doubts about the Kenya Forest Service’s true intentions,” Maraga stated. He further warned against what he termed a “brazen attempt” to undermine Kenya’s natural resources, emphasizing the responsibility of constitutional and environmental custodians to oppose such moves.
Karura Forest, managed jointly by the Kenya Forest Service and the Friends of Karura Forest, has served as a crucial urban green space for Nairobi residents for over 15 years. Maraga underscored the necessity of involving the public in decisions affecting communal resources like Karura to uphold transparency, good governance, and constitutional rights.
The eCitizen platform has recently faced intense scrutiny following the March 2025 audit report by Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu covering the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. The report revealed that over Sh1.8 billion was unlawfully collected from citizens before January 2023 through convenience fees that violated legal provisions on administrative charges. Additionally, the audit uncovered unreconciled receipts amounting to Sh6.3 billion, unauthorized transfers of Sh127 million to private entities, and excess charges exceeding official rates by more than Sh1.8 billion.
In response to the audit findings, Treasury Principal Secretary Dr. Chris Kiptoo affirmed government ownership of the eCitizen platform and assured the public that no funds have been lost since 2023. Appearing before the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee alongside Dr. Belio Kipsang of Immigration and Citizen Services and Eng. John Tanui from ICT, Dr. Kiptoo dismissed the Auditor-General’s report as “an inaccurate distortion of facts.”
I want to assure Kenyans that no money has been lost,” Dr. Kiptoo said, adding that the government has implemented sufficient legal and financial safeguards to protect public funds within the system. He also noted that for nearly a decade, there were no formal contracts between the government and the platform’s vendor, but efforts are underway to regularize the legal framework.
