Transferring Amboseli to county will destroy wildlife –conservationists

It will spell doom for both wildlife and the ecosystem, they say.

Nature Kenya executive director Dr Paul Matiku said the move “will have a potential negative impact on the park’s ecological health, wildlife populations and the long-term sustainability of conservation efforts." 

“Our primary recommendation is for the government to prioritise the ecological health of Amboseli by addressing the root causes of conflicts with local communities. Our research suggests that ineffective benefit-sharing mechanisms are the core issue, not the park’s management structure itself,” he said.

Matiku was reacting to the announcement by President William Ruto that the national government will soon hand over the management of the park to Kajiado county.

Ruto also directed the Tourism CS to work on how to actualise the process between the state and the Kajiado government. He made the announcement last August.

Once the proposed handover happens, the revenue generated from the park will be shared between the county that hosts the national park and the national government.

However, Matiku, in a letter to the advisory committee secretariat of the state department for wildlife in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, petitioned the state to reconsider the move, saying it was wrong.

He instead proposed a two-pronged approach.

Matiku said it is necessary to improve revenue-sharing models to ensure communities directly benefit from conservation efforts.

He said the second proposal is to support park management to increase revenue generation.

“Downgrading the legal status of Amboseli National Park, a globally recognised biodiversity hotspot and transferring its management is detrimental to wildlife, the environment and Kenya’s international reputation,” Matiku said.

“This action will weaken conservation efforts, set a negative precedent, and erode trust with development partners. This risk of its loss is unconscionable.”

Matiku urged the government to reconsider the decision and prioritise the long-term health of Amboseli and Kenya’s conservation efforts.

He outlined reasons why handing over the park to the county is wrong.

Matiku said the move will set the wrong precedent.

“Already, counties that are wildlife hotspots have started making demands to take over the management of national parks. If Amboseli is downgraded to a reserve to be managed by Kajiado county, what will prevent other counties from demanding the same treatment?” he posed.

“This is the death of national parks, the death of the Kenya Wildlife Service, and the end of Kenya’s pride as a global wildlife conservator.”

Matiku said the move is also unconstitutional and violates the Land Act 2012.

He argued that the fourth schedule of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 provides for the distribution of functions between two, not three levels of government.

“Paragraph 22(b) of the schedule vests the function of protection of animals and wildlife in the national government. Although it is possible to convert public land to community land, Section 12(2)(b) of the Land Act, 2012, prohibits the allocation of land that falls within a wildlife reserve.

“National parks are public land under Article 62(g) of the Constitution and are held by the national government in trust for the people of Kenya. The transfer of national parks to county government is not contemplated in the Constitution unless there are constitutional amendments.”

Matiku said Section 2 of the Wildlife, Conservation, and Management Act 2013 defines a national reserve as an area of community land declared to be a national reserve under the Act or any other applicable written law.

“It is therefore our understanding that national reserves are community land, and downgrading the Amboseli National Park to a National Reserve will mean the land will be converted from public to community land,” he said.

He said Section 12(2) of the Land Act, 2012, prohibits the allocation of land that falls within a wildlife reserve.

“It provides that the commission shall ensure any public land that has been identified for allocation does not fall within any of the following categories: (b) public land that falls within forest and wildlife reserves, mangroves, and wetlands, or falls within the buffer zones of such reserves or within environmentally sensitive areas.”

Matiku said Amboseli National Park is a globally recognised key biodiversity area, crucial to the connected conservation systems linking Chyulu Hills National Park.

He said the downgrade of Amboseli dismantles a strong legal protection essential for its survival as a Key Biodiversity Area.

“This move contradicts Kenya’s global stance towards strengthening conservation efforts and therefore risks Kenya’s reputation as a leader in this field.”

Matiku said wildlife management is specialised.

He criticised the counties capacity to manage wildlife effectively, saying KWS has a proven track record in professional wildlife management.

He said transferring responsibility to counties with limited expertise will lead to mismanagement and endanger wildlife populations.

Matiku said KWS should be able to manage wildlife in any national park and work out fair revenue sharing with counties and local communities that host wildlife.

He said Amboseli faces threats like subdivision of surrounding land.

Matiku said county management will exacerbate these issues, harming park’s ecosystem.

“This decision will turn Amboseli into a livestock-growing area. There will be rising cases of human-wildlife conflicts, negative impacts on genetic diversity and the gene pool, population declines, susceptibility to diseases, loss of livelihoods and maintaining ecological functions,” he said.

Matiku wants the advisory committee to evaluate the management transfer decision, considering the cumulative impacts on biodiversity.