A section of Maasai Mara Committee members rubbish Senator Ledama’s claims

Narok,

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

KNA by Ann Salaton

A section of Maasai Mara National Reserve Management Committee has come out to defend the County Governor, Patrick Ntutu, over alleged mismanagement of resources.

The Committee led by Edward Ole Nchoe, rubbished claims by Senator Ledama Ole Kina, saying they were meant to demean the leadership of Governor Ole Ntutu.

Nchoe said the rise in park fees was enshrined in the Maasai Mara Management Plan, that was passed into law last year after a vibrant public participation forum. 

He accused Ole Kina of politicizing every move the Governor makes wondering why he did not consult the Committee first before holding the press briefing. 

“There is nothing the County Government is doing that is not in the Management Plan. We are happy because the step the County government has put in place, will benefit the residents more as the economy is growing,” he said.

Nchoe wondered why Senator Ole Kina did not raise any alarm when the motion was being debated in the County Assembly and during the public participation forums before it was signed into law.

Another Committee member, Michel Koikai, accused Ole Kina of playing politics with the National Reserve that is the main source of income for the Narok County Government.

Koikai said he has been in the Committee for over 30 years, confirming many camps that are in the Game Reserve, were allocated by the former County Council, as opposed to Ole Kina’s allegation that the current Administration was responsible for the existence of the camps.

“It was necessary to raise the park fees especially during the peak season as Maasai Mara is a World Class tourist destination area. During peak season the foreign tourists pay USD 200 and during low season the tourists pay USD 100,” he said.  

He reiterated that all the stakeholders were involved during the decision making, including the Kenya Tourists Federation and the locals, who agreed to raise the park fees.

The Committee members challenged the Senator to tour the Maasai Mara and speak to the locals, to get the real facts on the ground.

They were speaking a day after Senator Ole Kina, raised a red flag over alleged mismanagement of funds collected for the National Reserve and the increment of Park fees.

It should be noted that the Maasai Mara National Reserve is the main source of income for the Narok County Government, as it generates over Sh3.5 billion annually.

The amount is expected to increase with the increase in Park fees, which will be a big plus to the Narok residents, as there will be more cash flow to implement development projects.

Courtesy; KNA