Kajiado County Governor Joseph Ole Lenku has assured residents that the Amboseli ecosystem will remain protected and developed under a new conservation framework that brings together the county government, community leaders and conservation partners.
Speaking in Loitoktok Sub-county on November 12, where he met leaders of group ranches surrounding Amboseli National Park, Governor Lenku said the meeting marked a major step in implementing the President’s directive to safeguard the park and its ecosystem.
“We are here to inform you that Amboseli is not going to be destroyed just as the President had instructed,” he said, emphasizing that the county is committed to preserving the park’s ecological integrity.
The Governor announced that some hectares of land within the ecosystem have been designated as a reserve for conservation. He said the move will create a larger dispersal area for wildlife and ease pressure on the park. “This means that the animals will get a big space of the land and they will be able to leave the park or reduce pressure on the park,” he explained.
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Lenku lauded the group ranch leaders for their contribution to conservation efforts, describing them as key partners in protecting Amboseli’s natural heritage. He noted that their commitment had made the landscape one of Kenya’s most successful models of community-driven conservation. “These leaders, through the consent of their members, are the ones who donated the land and I want to confirm it is actually much more than that,” he stated.
The Governor further revealed that over 700 trained rangers from the Manyani Training School are already deployed to enhance protection of the ecosystem. He said the rangers’ expertise will ensure that both the land and wildlife are well managed.
He also pointed out that the ecosystem hosts a wide network of stakeholders, including researchers, hotel owners and travel agents, all of whom play a vital role in sustaining Amboseli’s economic and environmental balance. “As the leader, I will take time to meet all of them so that we have a plan that we all can follow,” he said.
Lenku highlighted that the transition committee led by Engineer Mangiti had developed a strong management plan to guide the county’s conservation direction. He added that this plan will work alongside the Amboseli National Park Management Plan and the Amboseli Ecosystem Area Management Plan to create a coordinated conservation structure. “These plans will make sure that they talk to one another so that we are all working in a coherent way,” he noted.
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The Governor said the new approach reflects the county’s broader vision of environmental stewardship and sustainable community development. “Going forward we will in a very special way focus on wildlife protection, environmental protection, and even support of our community livelihoods that live within that ecosystem,” he said.
Lenku concluded by assuring residents, conservationists, and the international community that Kajiado County is fully committed to transforming Amboseli into a modern conservation model. “Our journey towards a third-generation park just began, and it is an all-system goal from us in the county government, our group ranches that surround Amboseli, and our partners in the entire ecosystem,” he said.
By Benedict Aoya
