County seeks to allocate 19pc of Maasai Mara revenue to community projects

Narok Governor, Samuel Tunai, and Narok County Medical Director, Peter Okoth, at The Narok District Hospital to assess the patients' situation following the doctors strike. Narok County government has developed a plan to boost wildlife conservation at the world famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve, by allocating 19 percent of the annual revenue collected from the game reserve to the communities around the conservancy. PHOTO | GEORGE SAYAGIE  

In Summary

• Narok Governor, Samuel Tunai, said the allocation would help promote the community’s economic activities and reduce human-wildlife conflict in the region
• The residents have suffered losses resulting from the straying of wildlife from the reserve into surrounding areas to graze and hunt, attacking livestock

By Nation Correspondent
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The Narok County government has developed a plan to boost wildlife conservation at the world famous Maasai Mara game reserve.

The community around the conservancy would be allocated 19 percent of the annual revenue collected from the game reserve.

Narok Governor, Samuel Tunai, said the allocation would help promote the community’s economic activities and reduce human-wildlife conflict in the region.

“We are seeking approval from the Controller of Budget to set aside 19 percent of our total revenue from the game reserve towards community development in areas around the Maasai Mara game reserve,” said Mr Tunai.

The residents have suffered losses resulting from the straying of wildlife from the reserve into surrounding areas to graze and hunt, attacking livestock.

“Since residents of this areas cannot cultivate their land, or use it for any economic activity, we have set aside the fund to give back to this community for it to benefit from conservation of wildlife in their midst,” said Mr Tunai.

“We have already sought approval from the national government through the Controller of Budget to this effect,” he added.

Meanwhile, debate over whether or not some lodges and camps built in wildlife habitats or migratory corridors in the Mara should be demolished continues to rage.

Owners of land around the reserve have demanded incentives to encourage them to avoid leasing land to investors but retain it as conservation area.

Since people and wild animals have overlapping habitats, crop damage and livestock attacks by wildlife were common in the area, according to the governor. The county has been designated as a human-wildlife conflict hot spot in the country.

The defunct Narok County Council increased the 19 percent allocation from Sh114.3 million to Sh170.5 million in the 2011/12 and 2012/13 financial years.

This financial year, the county has established an equalisation fund of Sh300 million.

Recurrent expenditure has been set at Sh5.7 billion against estimated Sh4 billion for development.

 

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