Save the Mara River Basin

Increased human activities along the Mara River Basin - that is said to support 1.2 million people in Kenya and Tanzania - pose serious threat to the ecosystem.

Deforestation, poor farming methods and water pollution in the water catchment areas around Nakuru, Narok and Bomet counties continue to degrade the ecosystem.

Unplanned development projects - like construction of roads and high rise buildings in the area - have also had negative effects on the environment.

Not only do human activities endanger the environment, they have also led to increased human-wildlife conflicts due to encroachment on animal habitats.

The allure of the Mara Game Reserve during the annual wildebeest migration in August will diminish if the ecosystem is allowed to disintegrate without measures to save it being put in place. Kenya's dependence on tourism cannot be taken for granted. The tourism sector earned Sh93.9 billion in 2014 and Sh96 billion in 2013.

Communities living along the Mara River should be sensitised on the need to conserve it. Notably, the Narok county government sets aside 19 per cent of the revenue earned from tourism to support the local communities and they have every reason to save the Mara from destruction.