Nakuru to host Mara Day, focus on saving ecosystem

This year's Mara Day celebrations next Thursday will be held live in Molo, Nakuru county.

The aim is to go beyond creating awareness to creating 'ownership' by the private sector and civil society. It aims to increase private and community efforts to save the threatened ecosystem.

Public-private partnership efforts are considered essential.

Last year's celebration was held virtually because of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

This year's event will be themed, 'Towards a Sustainable Mara River Ecosystem', acknowledging the work of various parties to protect the threatened system.

The Mara Day celebrations rotate between Kenya and Tanzania. The previous six editions were held in Narok and Bomet counties.

It is also a landmark celebration for Nakuru county hosting the event for the first time after Nakuru was elevated to city status in December 2021.

Preparatory meetings have been held before the 11th Mara Day celebrations, Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) Communications officer Willy Mugenzi said.

“Overall, Nakuru is ready and suitable for the celebrations,” the commission said.

The ecosystem is under threat from numerous human activities, including unsustainable agriculture, tree-felling, abstraction of water, pollution, encroachment by human settlements, among others.

It is also threatened by drought as water levels in the Mara River and its tributaries are dropping.

In celebrations will include planting 3,500 seedlings, holding amateur sporting activities such as running and football matches.

Organisers have planned essay writing competitions and recognising conservation champions.

The event will aim to put into operation Article 7(a) of the EAC Treaty focusing on promoting people-centered EAC regional integration.

The objectives of the Mara Day include creating awareness among all major parties of the importance of the Mara River Basin and its resources.

They aim to recognise and involve contributions of private and public sectors in management of the basin and resources. 

Promoting public-private partnerships to protect the water and biodiversity is another goal.

The celebrations will call for a forum of state and non-state parties to drive ecosystem management.

(Edited by V. Graham)