Tourism CS nominee pledges clear policies for transferring national parks to county govts

Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary nominee Rebecca Miano has revealed that the task force formed to examine the transfer of Amboseli National Park to the Kajiado County government has finalised its report.

Miano assured the National Assembly Committee on Appointment on Saturday that, if approved by the House, she will formulate clear policies to manage these transfers and prevent any potential disputes.

"The task force, I am informed, has finalised its work, and in the next couple of weeks, we'll be presenting this report. I will be looking out at this report for my contribution and for the contribution of the whole sector so that we are able to come up with clear guidelines, clear advantages, and clear processes of how this matter or the transfer of national parks should be handled," she said.

The nominee was responding to MP David Gikaria's question about the transfer of Amboseli National Park from the national government to county management.

Gikaria asked if there were policy guidelines in place for such transfers, referencing the possibility of Hell's Gate and Lake Nakuru National Parks, particularly in relation to licensing fishermen in Lake Nakuru.

The nominee also stated that the Wildlife Management Act stipulates and spells out the role of the two levels of government, the county governments and the national government, on such transfers.

Miano went on to explain that one of her top priorities will be to establish clear policy directions and guidelines for making such transfers.

Tourism CS nominee Rebecca Miano appears before the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointments on Saturday, August 3, 2024. (Photo: Parliament)

"Mr. Chairman, if approved and I get into this docket, the list of priorities is forming up, and it's becoming clearer so that we have clear policy directions and guidance. This will enable actions to move much faster and with clarity, avoiding disputes and other issues that at times derail processes, making them take much longer," she said.

On August 22, 2023, President William Ruto announced that the national government will return the management of Amboseli National Park to the Kajiado County government.

The head of state noted that former president Mwai Kibaki had issued executive orders on the same subject during his reign and confirmed that this will also be the case for his administration.

He also stated that the Kajiado County government, which hosts the park, will add more land for wildlife conservation so that it can increase the proceeds from the park.

In a notice on June 11, the Ministry announced that it had appointed and gazetted an Advisory Committee to develop the framework for transferring the park's functions to the county government.

This move followed President Ruto's directive to transfer the park from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to Kajiado County.

"Following a Presidential Directive in August 2023 for the transfer of the Amboseli National Park to the County Government of Kajiado, the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, vide Kenya Gazette Notice No. 1939 dated February 23, 2024, appointed and gazetted an Advisory Committee to advise on the framework for the transfer of functions of the Amboseli National Park to the County Government of Kajiado," the Ministry said.