KAKAMEGA, Kenya, Jun 28 – A Section of Kakamega residents have opposed a proposal to transfer Amboseli National Park, which is a national natural resource, to the county government of Kajiado.
Speaking during a public participation forum at Magharibi Hall, the residents warned that the park which generates over Sh1.8 billion revenue will only benefit the Maa Community, locking out other Kenyans from its proceeds.
They said if transferred, the National Treasury will have a shortfall of revenue which will affect financing of other projects across the country.
Amboseli is classified as a premium park alongside Nakuru National park and is the second highest revenue generator among National Parks after Nakuru National Park.
Currently the park generates the revenue which is taken to the national treasury.
Out of the Amount, Sh. 20 million is channeled to support the community in Kajiado yearly through the Community Social Responsibility(CSR) initiatives.
In August Last year, the Maa Community which includes the Masai from Kajiado, Samburu and Narok during a meeting persuaded President William Ruto to transfer the park to the county government.
The president then made a pronouncement that the Park should now go to the Kajiado county government to hold it in trust for the people of Kajiado.
According to a committee spearheading public participation forums, the process of transfer will involve conversion of the land from public land being held by the national government to community land to be held by Kajiado county government on behalf of the Community.
The Park covers 392 Kilometers squared in Kajiado at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro and is currently managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service(KWS).
Speaking during the public participation forum, Philip Chunge, a resident of Kakamega said that a national natural resource should not be given to a county government.
He warned that county government’s lack the capacity to manage a national park of that magnitude since the counties have been struggling with mismanagement of funds crippling critical devolved sectors like the health sector.
“How can we entrust them with a whole national park that attracts tourists in the country,” he noted.
He said if transferred then the government will compromise the revenue to the national treasury that will cause a shortfall of funds that will trickle down to common residents.
Chunge also warned that if transferred, other counties with similar natural national resources will prepare proposals for transfer of those resources to the county government which will have multiple challenges in the country.
Another resident Phemy Andati warned that the Kajiado county government will formulate policies to govern the Amboseli National Park which might favor the Maa community at the expense of other Kenyans across the country.
“Other County governments will start struggling and scrambling for their own natural resources of which it will not be fair and it will not be good for the country,” she disclosed.
Another resident Ben Muhanji said that since Amboseli is a National Natural Resource, the National Government is well placed in coordinating climate mitigation activities and its transfer will interfere with efforts to fight climate change.
