“God has heard our cry, President William Ruto has corrected an injustice.”
Those were the words of Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku, capturing the emotion and significance of the moment as leaders and community members celebrated the historic handover of Amboseli National Park to the County Government of Kajiado during the ongoing Maa Cultural and Tourism Festival.
In a landmark move that redefines Kenya’s approach to conservation and devolution, the National Government formally transferred the management of Amboseli National Park to the people of Kajiado.
The decision ends decades of contention over who should control one of Africa’s most iconic wildlife sanctuaries that plays host to four of Kenya’s big five animals. Governor Lenku hailed President Ruto’s courage to face off with challenges that previous regimes had avoided.
“We celebrate that courage because it was against the will, the wishes of powerful institutions, of powerful individuals, of many who have been benefiting from this park against the community,” he said.
According to Lenku, successive administrations had been petitioned by the Maa nation to correct the injustice of losing ancestral land, but only the current government took concrete steps to right the wrong.
Lenku added that the late President Mwai Kibaki had tried to address the issue but faced challenges that prevented action.
“To the best of our knowledge, we believe that Mwai Kibaki attempted to do this, but due to many factors, some of which we do not even know, it did not happen,” he said.
The momentous handover, which follows a 2024 Presidential Directive, marks one of the rare instances where a national park traditionally managed by the central government is entrusted to a county.
On his part, Samburu Governor Jonathan Lati Lelelit commended President Ruto for succeeding where others had faltered.
“So many Presidents have had this Amboseli issue placed on their table, but only Ruto delivered. Kibaki had it, Moi had it, Uhuru had it, and none of them could hold that hot potato. But this great man from the Kalenjin who fears nothing delivered Amboseli to the Maasai people,” he said.
The Amboseli Deed of Transfer brings the economic benefits of conservation directly to local communities, those who coexist daily with wildlife.
Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu also praised the Head of State for his boldness and commitment to ensuring communities benefit from conservation.
“I would want to thank His Excellency the President for really making this decision a reality. The Maasai Mara National Reserve, the Amboseli National Reserve, and the Samburu National Reserve have all along been the same, and today, returning the Amboseli National Reserve to the Kajiado County Government is a big thing,” said Ntutu.
Ntutu further noted that President Ruto’s leadership had gone beyond Amboseli.
He highlighted the creation of the Ilchamus Sub-County in Baringo, a long-awaited administrative unit aimed at addressing historical marginalization.
“Even the sub-county that we got for the Ilchamus, the Mau Forest that has now been conserved, that we are fencing and planting trees, that is a big deal for us,” he added.
The President has also spearheaded major environmental restoration initiatives, including the ongoing conservation of the Mau Forest Complex, which spans about 403,000 hectares, East Africa’s largest Afro-montane forest and Kenya’s most vital water tower.
The project involves a 10-year ecosystem restoration plan, massive tree planting, and the construction of an electric fence to protect the forest boundaries.
As Amboseli returns to its people, leaders say the move is not just about land; it is about restoring dignity, strengthening conservation, and ensuring that local communities directly benefit from Kenya’s natural heritage.
