By Kipchumba Kemei
NAROK, KENYA: A group of local investors want National Environment Management Authority (Nema) to allow communities neighbouring Masai Mara National Park to construct tourist facilities.
They said restrictions the authority has imposed on construction of hotels and lodges outside the protected areas was hindering locals from investing in the multibillion tourism industry.
“The restriction is hindering local investment. The authority should allow construction of tourists’ facilities without subjecting to stringent conditions,” said Leshan Ntutu, a landlord in the western side of the reserve.
They claimed on Saturday that there were disturbing reports that the authority was working in tandem with foreign investors to deny locals to invest in the hotel industry in Mara through imposing stringent rules and undue delays in carrying out the Environment Impact Assessment work which was mandatory before setting up establishments.
Leshan said the Government imposed moratorium on construction of new tourist facilities was meant to control haphazard setting up of the facilities inside the park and wondered why Nema was restricting developments outside the protected areas.
“There are many prospective locals who have money to set up hotels, lodges and cultural villages in areas bordering the park and conservation areas but the authority which is now being used as a tool by foreign investors is locking them out of the business through application of rules that does not affect areas they want to invest in,” he added.
In 2003, the Government froze establishment of tourist facilities inside the park until its management plan was in place. The defunct Narok and Transmara county councils failed to formulate it.
Nick Murero, the Mara-Serengeti Ecosystem Coordinator for Lake Victoria Basin, said there was need to formulate the plan but asked Nema and the County government to take into account the need of the local community that live in conservation area that has for long been prevented to exploit their parcels of land for purposes of tourism activities.
The authority Narok Coordinator Patrick Lekenit denied that Nema was frustrating local investments in Mara, saying it was assisting all investors who have interest of setting up tourist facilities through ensuring that they comply with the environment laws.
“Our work is purely to carry out environmental audits and advise the investors. The authority will not allow construction of hotels and lodges that would pollute water sources and harm the environment. We do our work without influence,” he said.
