Why county wants Tsavo East and West parks status changed

Taita Taveta County Government has petitioned Parliament to re-categorise Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks so as to manage and get a share of revenue collected from the facilities.

Taita County Assembly Speaker Anselm Mwandime said the 11th Schedule to the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act categorises Tsavo East and Tsavo West as national parks, with a total coverage of 11,747 square kilometres and 9,065 square kilometres, respectively.

The County Assembly has, however, stated that the current categorisation of the two national parks denies the county government the opportunity to protect and maintain the biological diversity and its associated resources.

“The current classification of the two national parks is discriminatory to the people of Taita Taveta and contrary to the provisions of Article 27 of the Constitution, as other county governments collect revenues from their established national reserves,” the Speaker says, in the petition.

In a petition presented to the National Assembly by Wundayi MP Danson Mwashako, the County Speaker said the current categorisation of the national parks has not allowed the county government to benefit from the revenue share collected by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). “In light of the foregoing, the petitioner seeks the intervention of the National Assembly to amend the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act by recategorising national parks and national reserves in the 11th Schedule of the Act to enhance conservation efforts.

He added: “Having established that the matter raised in the Petition is well within the authority of this House and is not pending before any Court of law or Constitutional legal body, I hereby commit the Petition to the Select Committee on Public Petitions for consideration pursuant to Standing Order 208A.”

The MP said the petition is at the heart of the people of Taita Taveta and he has been addressing the issue in various forums but the House is now seized on the matter.

“We are exploring the possibility of having Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks managed by the County Government of Taita Taveta. This will address some of the most severe historical injustices,” Mwashako said.

According to the speaker, other game reserves, like Maasai Mara National Reserve, in Narok, collect at least Sh3.6 billion, which goes to their people but for Taita Taveta County Government, 62 per cent of the land is under Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks, yet not a single shilling goes to the local people.

“This matter is grave. Recently, the President proclaimed that the County Government of Taita Taveta will receive 50 per cent of the revenue share from Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks. However, I know that so far, the line ministry has not done anything,” Mwashako said.

He also said the President had recommended that 40 per cent of jobs go to people of Taita Taveta, which has not happened. “We request that the whole Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks be returned to a Game Reserve status, allowing the people of Taita Taveta County to gain full ownership of this asset. This measure would enable the local community to manage conservation and generate its own revenue,” the MP insisted.

Marakwet East MP, Bowen Kangongo urged the Public Petitions Committee to look into the petition carefully and if possible, propose legislation in the House that guides national parks because they are national treasures.

“They are our sources of revenue because of tourism. This will prevent having a petition from Taita Taveta County and then another one next week from another county that hosts a national park. We should have one piece of legislation. We should not degazette all our national parks and give them to counties. We can decide how revenues from these national parks can be shared between National and County Governments,” said Kangongo.

With Lugari MP, Nabii Nabwera saying: “This issue is very critical at this time because some parks or reserves contain minerals that the resident communities do not benefit from. Therefore, we require a standard policy and legislation. The way you treat Mount Elgon should be the same way you treat the parks in Taita Taveta, Kakamega National Park and others in any part of the country. Otherwise, it becomes very inequitable.”

Kajiado South MP, Parashina Sakimba said Taita Taveta County is petitioning for revenue that comes from their national parks, noting that he comes from an area with a national park, Amboseli National Park, which is in the process of becoming a game reserve that will be managed by the county government.