KNH Defends Tree Cutting After Displaced Marabou Storks Die

Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has defended its decision to cut down several mature acacia trees within its grounds, saying the trees had become unsafe and posed a risk to people and property.

In a statement issued on 2 August, the hospital said many of the acacia trees, some more than 30 years old, had become structurally weak. It said a technical assessment carried out before the rainy season found that the ageing trees were at risk of shedding branches. 

According to KNH, falling branches had previously damaged buildings, endangered patients, staff and visitors, and killed some of the marabou storks that nested in the trees. Chief Executive Officer Dr Richard Lesiyampe said the work was intended to protect both people and the birds. 

The hospital said the affected African acacia trees had become aged and decayed, creating a significant safety risk. The explanation has not satisfied many members of the public. Images of injured and displaced marabou storks on the hospital grounds circulated widely online, prompting questions about whether environmental assessments had been carried out before the trees were removed.

Critics said the birds, which have nested at KNH for decades, were displaced without sufficient consideration. One social media user wrote: "They cut down the acacia trees this week... Some died. Some got injured. All because nobody thought to check what was living in those branches first."

Marabou storks, despite being unpopular with some residents because of their noise and droppings, play an important role as scavengers by helping to remove organic waste. Their nesting sites have declined over the years as development has expanded across areas including the Central Business District, Nyayo Stadium and the Mombasa Road corridor. 

The events at KNH are the latest example of urban wildlife being displaced by infrastructure and development projects. Hospital officials said they are working with government agencies to care for the displaced storks and have committed to planting replacement trees across the hospital grounds.