Committee approves transfer of Amboseli National Park to Kajiado County

Participants at a past public particpation forum on the transfer of Amboseli National Park to Kajiado County. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

The bid to takeover Amboseli National Park (ANP) by the County Government of Kajiado from the national government is inching closer after Advisory Committee, said the transfer from Kenya Wildlife Services(KWS) is feasible

The committee was led by former Machakos County Deputy Governor, Francis Maliti.

“The transfer of ANP to CGK is legally feasible. The County Government of Kajiado is to establish a semi-autonomous government agency to manage the transferred park,” said Maliti.

He was speaking on Tuesday at Bomas of Kenya during the validation forum of the report of the committee.

He said the committee has conducted public participation forums across the Country.

The statement comes after the Cabinet on Thursday last week, approved the transfer of the park, signifying imminent completion of the process.

President William Ruto’s Cabinet communique indicated the transfer would boost the access of tourism and conservation resources by the local community.

The report in its five point recommendations asked the County Government of Kajiado and KWS to establish a collaborative framework to enhance capacity of CGK staff in specialised areas.

“The KWS to partner with County Government of Kajiado and other security agencies including Amboseli landscape conservation partners and the community rangers to enhance protection of the wildlife in the ecosystem,” added Maliti on the fourth recommendation.

Another recommendation is that Wildlife Resource Training Institute(WRTI) to continue with their research mandate inside the park upon transition.

He said a legal notice is being worked on that has details of what needs to be transferred including assets.

"It will be published and after a lapse of 14 days, the key partners will sign a deed of transfer, which will be the first step by the County to take over the park," he said.

In its key findings, the committee was pleased to note that the County has continuously improved the park.

Commitee said after the validation, a report will be generated with feedback and forward it to the Cabinet Secretary of Tourism and Wildlife to forward to the Cabinet.

Ken Oluoch, a member of the committee while presenting the findings, said they looked at the policy and legal framework to support the transfer.

“This means that the existing laws allows the transfer process,” said Oluoch.

He said they also found out that the ecosystem, which is 394 square km is quite fragile and therefore its viability and future is depended on the adjoining community that forms the major Amboseli ecosystem.

“And this is also demonstrated in the Amboseli National Management Plan 2023-2030.

Specifically to quote one of the studies done by KWS that actually 85 percent of wildlife exists in the surrounding adjoining land,” he said.

The committee, also said since the park is one of the most unique in Africa, it has been designated as part of the global networks Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and thus specific measure should be put in place to guarantee its sustainability.

The Maa community is now upbeat that the revenue sharing will trickle down to them including also through compensation of human wildlife conflicts.

Currently, the park generates Sh1.6 billion which goes to KWS for the last 40 years while the community gets Sh20 million and locals have been claiming there is insignificant input to local community social services.

The committee said it will come up with a formula of benefits sharing where a certain percentage will go to benefit the community that bears the brunt of hosting the park.

The committee was also pleased that the CGK has developed a two-year strategic plan 2024 -2026 to guide the operations of the transition and is in the process of establishing a semi-autonomous government agency to manage it.

It also noted that there are exclusive functions that will not be transferred and can only be performed by KWS.

They include veterinary services, animal control, intelligence gathering, which it said KWS will continue to carry out in the park as delineated by Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC).

Leaders and conservationists from the County and outside lauded the committee for the recommendations of the transfer.

“Bomas of Kenya is a historical ground and this is also a historical moment. I have spoken to my colleagues and have been send by 104 MPs from the pastoralists and 26 MPs from the Maa community saying that when this issue come to the floor of the house, they will support it fully,” said Samuel Parashina, MP Kajiado South.

Dr David Western, founder of African Conservation Centre(ACC) and who has been doing a lot of research in the park for long time, said poaching in the park has reduced thanks to the community embracing conservation.

“I urge the community around the Amboseli to consider stopping the subdivision of the land under ranches, which may threaten the sustainability and future of the park,” he said.