The Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) is in discussions with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) to acquire part of the forest land next to Lang’ata cemetery and convert it into Nairobi’s new cemetery.
NMS Director-General Mohammed Badi said negotiations are on-going with the Ministry of Environment to establish if the land can be used to replace the already full Lang’ata cemetery.
According to Badi, the KFS land is more suitable and convenient for Nairobi residents.
“The alternative was a bit far away and we found it inconveniencing to have Nairobi residents travel many kilometers to bury their kin,” he said.
Badi also noted that money had already been set aside to buy the land if a deal is agreed upon.
NMS has set aside a budget of Sh150 million in the current financial year towards the purchase of land.
Badi, however, faces a challenge in that KFS is against cutting down trees.
“They are doing their best and mostly they don’t negotiate when it comes to cutting down trees to create bare land,” Badi noted.
The NMS Director-General, however, said the agency would plant trees to replace the ones cut down for the new cemetery.
