WATAMU, Kilifi-Dec 30, 2025- A fresh environmental and legal storm is brewing in Watamu, Kilifi County, after activists accused authorities of defying a court order by continuing development activities at the controversial Watamu Affordable Housing Project site.
A court order issued last week by the Malindi High Court barred any development activities on the land, which activists describe as the only remaining public space in Watamu. The land also hosts the area Chief’s and Deputy Chief’s offices, making it a key administrative and social hub for the community.
Despite the order, Vocal Africa CEO Hussein Khalid says police have moved in to secure the site as contractors continue clearing vegetation, including more than 300 neem trees, some estimated to be over 35 years old.
“It is sad for a government to initiate a project by destroying nature,” Khalid said, accusing authorities of openly ignoring the court’s directives.
“How can you ignore a court order and go ahead to destroy the environment because you want to initiate a housing project? We are not against affordable housing, but can’t it be done elsewhere?”
Khalid said human rights and environmental defenders would not relent until the project is relocated to an alternative site that does not compromise public land or the fragile coastal ecosystem. Environmentalists have also raised concerns over the silence of local political leadership, accusing elected leaders of abandoning the community at a critical moment.
“You were elected to serve the community, but you have kept a distance, completely ignoring the concerns of the local people,” said environmentalist Shakila Wafula, who faulted leaders for failing to engage residents or intervene.
Local leader Zablon Shutu echoed the concerns, saying opposition to the project should not be misconstrued as resistance to development. He argued that Watamu’s unique status as a tourist and conservation destination demands careful planning.
“We are not opposing the project,” Shutu said. “There are many areas where it can be implemented, not at a public place where locals and tourists visit, considering Watamu is a unique tourist attraction site.”
The court order, issued by Justice Mwangi Njoroge, remains in force until January 27, 2026, when both parties are expected to return to court for further directions.
The latest developments come against the backdrop of recent clashes between police, community members, environmentalists, and activists, after security officers were deployed to secure the site. Those confrontations sparked public outrage and renewed debate over coastal land use, environmental protection, and respect for the rule of law.
As police continue guarding what activists describe as ongoing “destruction” activities, tension remains high in Watamu, with growing questions over whether environmental laws and court orders are being subordinated to development pressure.
