Amboseli National Park (formerly Maasai Amboseli Game Reserve), is a National Park in Kajiado South Constituency Kajiado County, Kenya.
The name “Amboseli comes from a Maasai word Empusel meaning “salty dust place”, and it is one of the best places in Africa to view large herds of elephants this is according to UNESCO.
The Park which is 39,206 ha (392.06 km2) in size at the core of an 8,000 km2 (3,100 sq mi) ecosystem that spreads across the Kenya-Tanzania border is home to a home to more than 500 mammal species including elephants, lions, cheetahs, cape buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, hyenas, foxes among others. It also hosts over 400 bird species.
The park has been producing half a billion shillings revenue to the national government and the county government of Kajiado claims they have not been benefiting from the park, these has created animosity between national governmentโs Kenya Wildlife Service who manages the park and locals who believe they are not benefiting from the park.
Human wildlife has been the order of the day, several people have lost their lives with a number of animals also getting killed, in a recent case a resident of Olgira, Rombo ward in Kajiado South killed three elephants after they trampled to death a two-year-old child.
On June last year an elephant killed a teacher in Masimba, locals protested the killing blocking the roads, this also led to death of four people who were shot dead by GSU officers.
On May 13 this year morans also killed 6 lions that had invaded homes at Mbirikani- Amboseli near Oloitokitok still in Kajiado South.
Several schools have been invaded by the wildlife with a number of students missing lessons due to attacks by wildlife.
KWS has been accused of taking too long to compensate families who are victims of human wildlife conflicts and locals now believe if the county govt is having a hand in the park will see such issues solved on time.
The handing over of the park to Kajiado County govt is expected to reduce cases of human wildlife conflicts in the region many of the locals will feel involved in management of the park and benefiting from revenue from the park.
Christine Sanaipei a resident of Kajiado said cases of human wildlife conflicts will be reduced since the community will now benefit from the park and they will take care of it.
President William Ruto who transferred the management to the Kajiado govt during Maa Cultural Festival in Narok County said the national and county governments will share the parkโs revenues by half these means Kajiado will retain sh 240 million.
Revenue from the park will see the county government now be among counties generating more than Ksh 1 billion own sources of revenue (OSR), the county collected kshs 875 million in the 2022/2023 Financial Year.
Governor Joseph ole Lenku who shed tears during the presidentโs announcement said the reverting of the park was one of the best gift given by the president to Maasais.
The county government will also now have a say in employment opportunities in the park with many of the locals anguishing in poverty, they will now be observed by the park improving their living standards.
The leaders held special prayers at the park and warned wildlife conservation groups against interfering with the implementation of President Rutoโs directive of reverting the park to Kajiado govt.
The celebration was attended governors Joseph ole Lenku (Kajiado), Patrick Ntutu, (Narok) Jonathan Lati Leleliit (Samburu), two senators, MPS and a number of MCAs and locals.
By Obegi Malack
obegimalack@gmail.com
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