Three governors from Maa community have petitioned the national government
to return Amboseli National Park to Kajiado County Government from Kenya Wildlife Service(KWS).
Led by
Among the matters the leaders put as first priority is to follow up jointly is the return of the Amboseli National park to the county government of Kajiado from KWS.
Led by Patrick Ole Ntutu (Narok), Joseph ole Lenku(Kajiado)and Jonathan Leleliit (Samburu), they said they will follow it jointly as the Maa leaders so that Kajiado can also benefit from proceeds from the tourism sector.
They made the remarks during the first day of the first-ever Maa cultural week at
at Sekanani in the world-famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve in Narok on Monday
President William Ruto will grace the occasion tomorrow.
The second day programme will kick off with the Royal tour guide by the president where he will witness the annual wildebeest migration as a way of welcoming the international visitors to visit Kenya and witness the beautiful sceneries and diverse cultures.
The president’s visit will also provide an opportunity for private and public partnerships to promote cultural entrepreneurship.
The four-day event will bring together Maa communities from Narok, Kajiado,Laikipia,Marsabit, Baringo and Samburu.
The event is conciding with the spectular annual migration of wildebeest from Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to Maasai Mara in Kenya.
Leleliit said it was a big mistake for former leaders of the defunct Kajiado county council to let the park to be managed by KWS while the land belonging to the community.
“This is one of the historical injustices that was committed to the Maa community and we will appeal directly to the head of state to have the park back to our people,” said Leleliit.
The governor added that after the wildlife as the top tourist attractions, the second attraction is the Maa culture
“Our culture has brought thousands of international and domestic tourists to our region to witness it, so we must protect our culture and wildlife territories in equal measures,” he said
Leleliit, used the opportunity ,to announced that the second edition of the Maa cultural week which be staged at Samburu National Park next year.
Ntutu said the main focus of the cultural week is the unity of the community and forge a way forward in taking its position in regional and regional matters.
“Despite the unity agenda, it’s very important to bring the community diverse culture together and deliberate on how to conserve it for future generations and preserve it and hand it to our children so the culture will not be eroded,” said the county boss.
Ntutu added that culture event is destined for the community to celebrate its cultural diversity annually but on rotation
On his part, Lenku said that the first-event is jointly done by Narok, Kajiado and Samburu counties in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and wildlife.
“We will also use the occasion to educate the community on the do, and don’t do as well as deliberate the community position Nationally,” said Lenku.
He also noted that the community is facing many challenges and it is time to forge a united front and discuss the matters and try to achieve solutions together.
ENDS