Also known as: NEMA · Kenya's National Environment Management Authority
National Environment Management Authority — environmental regulator tasked with enforcing pollution control and environmental standards in Kenya; subject of recent judicial scrutiny over compensation delays and enforcement gaps.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
The Standard
Audio By VocalizeThe National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has warned that individuals found using banned plastic bags will be arrested and prosecuted as the crackdown intensifies. …
NEMA warns of arrests as crackdown on banned plastic bags intensifiesThe Nairobi City County government has declined a petition to revoke the operating licence of Club 213 Lounge and Restaurant Limited in Lavington, citing that inspections by NEMA and county officers found the facility compliant with noise-control requirements.
12 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The Nairobi City County government has declined a petition to revoke the operating licence of Club 213 Lounge and Restaurant Limited in Lavington, citing that inspections by NEMA and county officers found the facility compliant with noise-control requirements.
12 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The High Court has directed that a petition challenging the possible resumption of mining operations at Lake Magadi be served on respondents for directions on November 18, 2026. The petition, filed by Francis Awino in the public interest on behalf of residents and affected host communities in Magadi, Kajiado County, challenges any resumption of mining operations by Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited pending determination of questions over legality, transparency, and compliance.
12 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The Law Society of Kenya has filed a lawsuit seeking to stop construction at Treasury Square Gardens in Mombasa, alleging that authorities allowed development on public recreational land without following constitutional and environmental requirements. The case names the county assembly speaker, county executive member, Mombasa County Assembly, Attorney General, Ministry of Sports, Culture and National Heritage, and several national agencies.
12 August 2026 · The Standard →
The Milimani Environment and Land Court has issued interim orders barring Club 213 from playing music after a resident of an adjacent property filed a petition citing loud music from mid-day until early morning hours and parking overflow onto pedestrian walkways.
10 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Residents of Runda Estate in Nairobi gathered to protest what they claim is a grabbed public parcel of land and oppose plans for a multi-storey building on the site, saying it would violate building height restrictions, damage drainage systems, and disrupt the ecosystem.
6 August 2026 · Capital News →
The Environment and Lands Court has temporarily stopped construction of a road through Ngong Road Forest and an eco-lodge project within the forest, pending the hearing of a petition filed by the Law Society of Kenya, the Green Belt Movement and JustAct against KURA, Kenya Forest Service and developer Konyon Company Limited.
5 August 2026 · The Standard →
The United Green Movement has called for an independent investigation into the alleged poisoning of fifteen elephants in the Amboseli ecosystem, saying preliminary laboratory findings detected a potential toxic substance in samples from affected elephants. UGM cited gaps in Kenya's regulation of hazardous chemicals and urged authorities to prevent similar wildlife deaths.
31 July 2026 · Capital News →
Kenyan senators have challenged Environment CS Deborah Barasa over weak enforcement of environmental laws, arguing that despite Kenya's comprehensive pollution control legal framework, continued industrial emissions, toxic waste dumping, and water contamination indicate serious implementation gaps. The lawmakers directed much criticism at the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), questioning its effectiveness in enforcing environmental standards.
15 July 2026 · Capital News →
Four Nairobi county employees have been charged with two counts of manslaughter in connection with deaths linked to the Mamliz Towers building collapse in South C on January 2, 2026. Two of the accused also face forgery charges for allegedly creating false approvals and uploading forged documents to the National Construction Authority portal.
14 July 2026 · Capital News →
Four officials from Nairobi County have been arraigned in court and charged with two counts of manslaughter over the deaths of two people during the construction of Mamliz Towers building in South C estate on January 2, 2026. Two of the accused also face forgery-related charges related to a notification of approval made in March 2023.
14 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
An opinion piece argues that a public participation forum on the proposed Imenti State Lodge, Airstrip and golf course inside Imenti Forest was a "sham," with a lawyer denied the microphone, conservationists jeered and removed by security, and the Kenya Forest Service proceeding despite an Environment and Land Court suspension order due to inadequate notice of venue change.
13 July 2026 · The Standard →
An opinion piece argues that state agencies tasked with environmental protection—NEMA, KWS, and Kenya Forest Service—are instead enabling ecosystem destruction through amendments to safeguard laws and approval of development projects in protected areas. The writer contends that Kenya's courts, empowered by Articles 42, 69, and 70 of the Constitution, may be the last defence against state-led environmental harm.
11 July 2026 · The Standard →
Environmental groups say Kenya's 15 billion tree-planting target by 2032 contradicts ongoing destruction of existing forests and green spaces for infrastructure and commercial development, threatening climate and biodiversity commitments.
9 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The High Court has given the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Director General seven days to explain why victims of the Owino Uhuru lead poisoning tragedy in Mombasa have not received the nearly Sh2 billion compensation awarded by the courts.
9 July 2026 · The Standard →
An editorial argues that public participation in Kenya Forest Service's Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for a proposed airstrip at Upper Imenti Forest should be meaningful and not merely rubber-stamp an already-decided project; effective safeguards require citizens and experts to examine necessity, legality, location, and environmental soundness before irreversible actions.
9 July 2026 · The Standard →
Conservationists have called for an immediate stop to forest destruction and excisions in Kenya, urging the government to conduct environmental assessments and allow public participation before allocating projects within protected areas. They criticized the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry and related agencies for failing to protect the country's forests amid continued encroachment and development.
9 July 2026 · The Standard →
The Environment and Land Court in Mombasa has ordered the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to submit a comprehensive plan within seven days on how it will pay Sh2 billion to lead poisoning victims in Owino Uhuru, Mombasa.
8 July 2026 · The Standard →
A public participation forum in Kyumbi, Machakos County, ended prematurely after chaos erupted between residents supporting and opposing a proposed cement factory. Supporters cited job opportunities and social benefits, while opponents raised health concerns about dust from cement grinding.
8 July 2026 · The Standard →
The Kenya Forest Service has scheduled a public participation forum for next week to address pressure from conservation and development groups over the construction of an airstrip inside Imenti Forest in Meru County. The airstrip, alongside a state lodge and golf course, is set to occupy approximately 11 acres, though KFS says the site has sparse vegetation and will cause "minimum ecological disruption."
3 July 2026 · The Standard →
A coalition of regional legal and human rights organisations has filed a petition at the Environment and Land Court to stop further development of tourist accommodation in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, citing threats to the wildebeest migration corridor. The case names the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Marriott International, and other entities as defendants.
2 July 2026 · Capital News →
A coalition of organisations—the East Africa Law Society, Natural Justice, JustAct, and the Africa Centre for Peace and Human Rights—has filed a petition in the Environment and Land Court seeking orders to stop further accommodation development within the Maasai Mara National Reserve, arguing that luxury camps threaten the wildebeest migration corridor.
2 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The Attorney General has urged the High Court in Meru to dismiss a petition filed by activist Francis Awino challenging proposed construction of an airstrip, golf course, State Lodge, and bypass in the Imenti Forest area, arguing the case is frivolous and unsupported by evidence. The respondents contend that Awino failed to meet the legal threshold for conservatory orders and did not demonstrate any constitutional or environmental law violations.
30 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The annual wildebeest migration has officially begun at Maasai Mara National Reserve, with herds crossing the Sand River from Tanzania's Serengeti. The arrival marks the start of a two-month period during which predators including lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, and crocodiles will have abundant prey.
30 June 2026 · The Standard →
Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has raised concerns in the Senate about a proposed parking facility and associated developments within or adjacent to Nairobi National Park, calling it a matter of national concern and urging the Senate Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources to provide details on the project's nature, scope, and location.
30 June 2026 · The Standard →
National and county government officials in Mombasa have cracked down on developers illegally adding extra floors to high-rise buildings without approval. During a Friday enforcement operation, one developer was arrested for constructing additional floors beyond the seven originally approved without fresh NCA authorization.
29 June 2026 · The Standard →
An opinion piece argues that Kenya's environmental policies—including plastic bag bans, Extended Producer Responsibility regulations, and the Sustainable Waste Management Act—represent a shift toward a circular economy that allows economic growth without exhausting natural systems.
24 June 2026 · The Standard →
During a Senate hearing on forced disappearances of young fishermen at Lake Nakuru, Kenya Wildlife Services Director General Erastus Kanga rejected a report tabled by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, saying he had not seen it and could not adequately respond to allegations without reviewing the document first.
23 June 2026 · The Standard →
An opinion piece argues that Kenya's climate interventions must move beyond policy commitments to place communities at the centre of action and create economic incentives for environmental protection, noting that the country faces increasingly visible climate impacts including droughts and floods.
16 June 2026 · The Standard →
Public opposition to airstrip construction in the Upper Imenti Forest Reserve in Meru County is intensifying, with conservation groups, community leaders and environmental advocates calling for an immediate halt, warning the development threatens biodiversity and forest protection efforts.
16 June 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya has become the first African country to receive technical assistance from the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage, valued at approximately $700,000 (about Sh90,685,000), to undertake a comprehensive assessment of climate-related loss and damage experienced across the country over the last decade.
10 June 2026 · The Standard →