Wildlife conservation areas in Kajiado to be mapped out

Kajiado

Tuesday August 15, 2023

KNA by Rop Janet

A committee to map out wildlife conservation areas in Kajiado County has been constituted.

This follows a presidential directive on July 24 that prohibits the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) from issuing licenses and permits for various projects in wildlife conservation areas termed as key, especially in Kajiado, Machakos (Athi-Kapiti corridor), Narok, Laikipia, Taita Taveta and Baringo areas.

In the meeting between the President and the wildlife conservation players, land management matters (ownership, adjudication, change of user) in Kenya were flagged as some of the issues affecting sustainable wildlife conservation and management in the country.

Consequently, it was decided that any further land subdivision be stopped and change of land use in the identified wildlife conservation areas halted until the conservation policy is finalized.

President William Ruto further ordered the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning to fast-track implementation of the community Land Act 2016 and also review the National Land use policy and the physical Land use Act 2019.

Kajiado County Executive Member (CECM) for Lands Hamilton Parseina said the directive will help solve the uncontrolled land use in conservation areas that sometimes comes with the subdivision of community lands.

He added that the multi-sectoral committee formed will draw a road map for implementation of the presidential directive.

Parseina revealed that Kajiado County borders the Nairobi, Amboseli, Tsavo West and Maasai Mara national parks and mapping out of wildlife conservation areas will help minimize human-wildlife conflict that is rampant in the area.

He further noted that sub-division of some group ranches in the county was done without mapping out of wildlife corridors and residents had already commenced developments in those areas.

“We have embarked on mapping out key wildlife conservation areas and of concern is the former Eselenkei group ranch which was sub-divided and titles issued to individuals. There is a lot of developments that are coming up in the area,” he said.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) County Warden Daniel Kipkosgey urged residents to stop encroaching on wild life corridors and breeding areas as it exacerbates human wildlife conflicts.

Courtesy ; K. N. A