Government gazettes transfer of Amboseli National Park management to Kajiado County
The Deed of Transfer sets out the framework for the transition, outlining performance standards, financial arrangements, and human resource provisions to ensure a seamless handover.
The government has officially gazetted the transfer of Amboseli National Park management to the County Government of Kajiado, marking a historic handover of operational control, while ownership of the park rests with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
The move, announced through Gazette Notice No. 15230, formalises a significant milestone in Kenya’s conservation and devolution framework. It follows a presidential directive and extensive consultations undertaken by an advisory committee formed under Gazette Notice No. 1939 of 2024 to guide the transfer of Amboseli’s management functions from the National Government to Kajiado County.
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The Deed of Transfer sets out the framework for the transition, outlining performance standards, financial arrangements, and human resource provisions to ensure a seamless handover.
Under the agreement, Kajiado County will progressively assume full control of Amboseli’s management over three years, beginning with a revenue-sharing arrangement that allocates 50 per cent of park income to each level of government in the 2026/2027 financial year
The county’s share will rise to 70 per cent in 2027/2028 and to 100 per cent in 2028/2029, when Kajiado County will fully control the park’s revenues.
The agreement will remain in force for an initial period of 15 years, after which it may be renewed upon mutual consultation between the National and County Governments. Annual performance reviews will be conducted, with a comprehensive joint review every fifteen years to assess progress and ensure sustainable management of the park’s resources.
The Deed of Transfer shall become effective 21 days from the date of execution, which, as per the notice, was October 14.
Five per cent of the park’s total revenue will, however, be reserved in perpetuity for the National Government to support research and ecological monitoring by the State Department for Wildlife and the Wildlife Research and Training Institute.
During the transition period ending June 30, 2026, the National Government will continue paying salaries for staff stationed at the park and offset existing contractual obligations related to its operations.
The County Government is required to establish a semi-autonomous agency to manage the park, absorb relevant personnel, and align its development plans with the Amboseli National Park Management Plan (2020–2030).
The agreement also emphasises community participation. Kajiado County is expected to engage at least 75 per cent of residents in conservation education and to work with communities to set aside one million acres of land for wildlife corridors, dispersal areas, and conservancies.
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