Nema closes Mara camp that blocked migration

Nema has closed the luxury Mara Ngenche Safari Camp for blocking the migration of wildebeest trying to cross the river in the Maasa Mara Game Reserve.

“The camp will immediately close all operations until a full environmental impact assessment study is done to determine the suitability of the camp at the confluence of the Talek and Mara rivers,” Konchellah said on Thursday.

He ordered the camp to immediately remove two structures in the riparian area.

Saying the problem of blocked crossings could be massive, the National Environmental Management Authority set up a multiagency team to audit all tourist facilites in the reserve within a month.

All non-compliant facilities will be closed, Konchellah said during a fact-finding mission on Thursday. He was accompanied by Nema DG Mamo Mamo.

Konchellah said the camp started opened in 2011 with six tents but lacked the required environmentl impact assessement.

“Lack of an EIA study is a serious environmental offense negating proper mitigation measures that could have been put in place to avoid incidents like the one on September 14," he said.

The chairman said the camp now has 12 tents, six on the Talek River and six on the Mara River. Two structures are built in riparian reserves, he said.

An audit in 2016 showed that more than half the tourist facilities in the game reserve were within the riparian reserve.

The audit commissioned by Narok county and conducted by the East AFrican Wildlife Society showed that more than 50 per cent of facilities have violated environmental protection rules.

"Skewed spatial distribution was largely influenced by the desire to have tourist facilities close to migratory routes, water sources, favorable micro-climate and rich biodiversity associated with the riverine ecosystem," the report read.

The water quality regulations of 2006 state that structures must be a mimimum of six metres and maximum of 30 metres from the highest water mark.

On September 8, Tourism CS Najib Balala and Narok Governor Samuel Tunai discussed the Mara Ngenche Safari Camp built beside the Mara River.

Balala said the camp was blocking the wildebeest crossing. "It's very disturbing and we expect the governor to have the camp removed," he said.

The CS said he had insisted on a management plan to protect wildlife migration corridors and enhance biodiversity. A plan was recommended in 2016.

The 2016 audit showed the reserve had 31 facilities with 1,382 beds. Some 84 per cent had leases, 58 per cent had single business permits and 48 per cent had EIA license and EA reports.

The law requires all facilities to have leases as proof of ownership and be registered by the Ministry of Lands. They must at all time display the single business permits issued by the county.

The audit further revealed 58 per cent of the tourist facilities had improper waste management and disposal practices, posing a great threat to terrestrial and aquatic life.

"Solid waste attracts carrion-eaters such as hyenas, baboons, vervet monkeys and marabou storks, which may result in human-wildlife conflict, wildlife poisoning and wildlife behaviour change, especially in their natural feeding habits," the audit said.

It noted the prevalence of invasive species in the reserve, especially in tourist facilities, and said they endangered the reserve.

According to the audit, 55 per cent of tourist facilities lacked Environmental Impact Assessment licenses and Environmental Audit reports as required by the Environment Management and Coordination (Amendment) Act 2015.

The Act requires all projects conduct an EIA before construction starts and that the EIA report is submitted to Nema for approval and issuing an EIA licence.

The regulations also require annual environmentl assessments.

Environmental degradation as a result of frequent off-road driving by tour drivers was evident in the reserve, especially on the eastern side.

Off-road driving damages natural vegetation, disturbs wildlife and can be disastrous to the whole reserve if not controlled.

Off-road driving is not allowed in the reserve but awareness of its negative impact and enforcement by Narok county are poor.

The reserve is part of the larger Mara-Serengeti Ecosystem.

It is supported by community and private conservancies surrounding it. They almost double the size of protected land.

The wildlife in the ecosystem would be greatly compromised without the conservancies.

The perrenial Mara River flows across the Maasai Mara to the Serengeti and provides water to the entire Mara-Serengi ecosystem, thus requiring integrated management.

However, coordination is inadequate among Narok county, the Tanzanian environment authority and other stakeholders.

The 2016 audit recommended Narok immediately commission a comprehensive and independent audit of all the tourist facilities and other developments outside the reserve and within the conservancies.

It urged the county to strenthen coordination with Tanzanian authorities in managing the Mara-Serengeti Ecosystem.

Data from the audit of the facilities outside the reserve and a similar initiative in Serengeti will be useful in implementing a management plan.

The audit said the Narok must fast-track revision, approval and the gazettement of a reserve Management Plan.

The county and Nema were urged to suspend approval of any tourist facilities within the reserve until the management plan is adopted and gazetted.

The audit called for spatial mapping of critical ecological habitats by Narok county and stakeholders to ensure they are not encroached upon for tourism development. The map was to be used to decide whether to approve tourist developments.

The audit said Nema an Narok should carry out annual control audits to ensure all tourist facilites comply with all environmental regulations.

It urged Narok county to verify whether existing leases are registered with the Ministry of Lands, as required by law, and to regularise them.

Shared leases were to be revoked and the facilities without leases held accountable by the county and other agencies.

(Edited by V. Graham)