Who should Manage Maasai Mara
Trust Maasai Mara to always make news for better or worse. As Kenya's leading safari destination, Mara is a true jewel but often a persistent cause of national shame, management wrangling and frustration to many. Last year, it was listed by WWF among the top ten travel destinations in the world and later voted by America's ABC Television as the 7th Wonder of the World in its "Good Morning America" program. It is contiguous with the larger Serengeti ecosystem which records the most spectacular wildlife show on earth in form of cyclic migration of thousands of animals from Tanzania to Kenya.
Poverty amid Plenty
But great as it is, Mara's management has been a persistent headache and subject of great controversy. Unlike other national parks in Kenya, Mara is managed by the local county councils. Ideally, this would be a perfect model of ensuring community benefit from wildlife and tourism. Indeed Narok and Trans Mara county councils that "own" the Mara are said to be the richest local authority in East and Central Africa. The sad thing, however, is that this wealth is never evident among the people who live here as any visitor to Maasai Mara would attest. Majority of the communities live in shameful squalor without access to water, electricity and sanitation facilities as well as health and education institutions. Where does all the wealth go to?
For instance, more than 1 million tourists visited the Mara last year, estimated to be 70% of all tourists who visited Kenya. Yet the two county councils reportedly received less than 1 billion shillings in park entry fees compared to the 56 billion scooped by the sector.
Roads a Sham- and Shame!
Besides lack of financial accountability, Mara's management has left a lot to be desired. Road maintenance in the parks has been very poor or non existent making the park a very expensive destination due to high cost of transport. Lack of enforcement of park regulations has also negatively affected the environment due to off road driving and animal harassment. Ask the cheetahs!
Give us the Mara - KWS
Now the Kenya Wildlife Service - the state body that manages other national parks is making an appeal to take control of the Mara. The KWS Director, Julius Kipng'etich, says the service can manage the Mara better arguing that lack of financial accountability and management of infrastructure "is a clear indication that county councils have no capacity to handle reserves". The Director was in a delegation of ten (10) Permanent Secretaries who were on a three-day tour of the Mara who called for an urgent policy to address Mara's plight to stem further degradation of the famous ecosystem.
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