Maa community to donate 1 million acres for wildlife conservation - Governor Lenku
Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku (C) described this year’s Maa Festival as a double celebration, lauding the recent presidential decree transferring Amboseli National Park to the community.
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The Maasai community will donate one million acres of land to enhance connectivity for wildlife through the expansion of wildlife and livestock corridors around Amboseli National Park in Kajiado County.
This comes as President William Ruto’s move to transfer Amboseli National Park to the County Government of Kajiado continues to elicit plaudits.
Article 9.1 of Gazette Notice No. 15230 - Deed of Transfer: Obligation of the Parties of Management Functions Relating to Amboseli National Park from the National Government to the County Government of Kajiado reads:
“The County Government of Kajiado shall coordinate and incentivise communities living around the park to set aside more land for conservation that will include wildlife corridors, wildlife dispersal areas, and conservancies for park viability, and to ensure that at least one million land acres is set aside for conservation.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the third Maa Festival in Amboseli, Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku said that the donation of the huge tracts of land shows the community’s commitment to wildlife conservation and tourism.
Governor Lenku, who described this year’s signature festival as a “double celebration and a game-changer,” applauded President Ruto, saying he has shown bravery and commitment by doing what his predecessors failed to do.
Apart from donating land, he said that the devolved unit had already established plans for a semi-autonomous body to ensure a smooth transition and proper integration of community interests.
“We have game reserves in Kenya, where communities and wildlife coexist together, but we now want to go a notch higher to create a third-generation park,” Governor Lenku said.
The three factors to be put into consideration are: management and protection of the ecosystem upon which wildlife and people depend, wildlife and heritage, and community livelihoods.
“In the past, the environment and the community's livelihoods have not been given due consideration. It was actually like repatriating profits to another country,” he stated
He said the government had, finally, resolved one of the biggest injustices meted out against the indigenous Maasai community by successive governments.
“We are calling this a double celebration because we are celebrating the return of Amboseli. This is a historical injustice that was committed against our people many years ago,” said Governor Lenku.
Noting that the Maasai community has, over the years, filed many petitions seeking the return of this tourism gem to the community, Governor Lenku said their pleas went unanswered.
“Every administration has been petitioned by the Maa nation against this injustice. We celebrate President Ruto’s courage to recognise that this is an injustice, but not only recognise it, but take a step to correct the injustice,” he said.
“To the best of our knowledge, we believe that Kibaki attempted to do this, but due to many factors—some of which we do not even know—it did not happen,” he stated.
“This time, the Maa nation from Marsabit, Samburu, Isiolo, Laikipia, Baringo, Narok, Kajiado, Taita Taveta, Kwale, and Mombasa are all represented here to witness the change of history and a correction of injustice against them,” the Governor said.
According to him, the return of Amboseli National Park through the deed of transfer gazette notice dated 14 October goes a long way towards alleviating the suffering and losses the Maasai community living around the park have incurred for years due to unresolved human–wildlife conflict.
“So this is a game-changer because it also shows that the truth has been done. We cannot underrate the economic value of the same, but we also want to say that this wildlife is our heritage; these are our wildlife, these are our animals,” he affirmed.
He said that the return of the park to the community is akin to a country gaining independence after a long struggle.
“It is very emotional; you will see tears flowing, you will see people celebrating. New songs have been developed, and therefore the Maa nation stands on the verge of history to say God has heard our cry, President Ruto has corrected an injustice,” he added.
Pointing a finger at unnamed powerful institutions, organisations, and individuals, Governor Lenku said the search for truth and justice had faced many stumbling blocks in the past.
“But it will also change history in the sense that our community will now own their wildlife and benefit from the same,” he added.
“You know, I broke down when the President pronounced himself that this is a historical injustice against the Maasai. I broke because I am a Maasai. Two, I come from this ecosystem; I know many families that have lost their loved ones to this wildlife without compensation,” he recalled.
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