Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has decried the growing influence of unregulated commercial activities, warning that greed and personal gain have become the greatest threats to Kenya’s conservation agenda.
Speaking in Kajiado County on Saturday during the handover of Amboseli National Park to the Maasai community, Mudavadi said conservation efforts can only succeed if local communities are empowered and recognized as co-owners and protectors of natural resources.
He noted that the government is formulating stronger measures to restore respect for conservancy and end the exploitation of protected areas by individuals and private entities seeking profit.
He dismissed long-held perceptions that local communities were to blame for environmental degradation, saying such beliefs had only served to alienate them from national conservation goals.
“Today the President has demystified that the biggest threat to conservancy was not the Maasai community,” Mudavadi said. “When President Ruto handed over the instruments of ownership, it was more than a ceremonial gesture, it was a bold statement that communities are not enemies of conservation.”
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and President William Ruto during the handover of Amboseli National Park to the Maasai community on November 8, 2025.PHOTO/PCSThe Prime Cabinet Secretary hailed the transfer as a monumental step toward justice for the Maasai, whose heritage and coexistence with wildlife date back centuries. He praised the unity among leaders and residents from Kajiado, Narok, and Samburu, saying their collective stand reflects the true spirit of the Maa people.
“The presence of the three Governors, Joseph Ole Lenku of Kajiado, Patrick Ole Ntuntu of Narok and Jonathan Lati Lelelit of Samburu together with the people of these three Maa-speaking counties has demonstrated, in a similar way lions hunt in a park, the unity, the focus and determination of the Maa people in handling issues and challenges affecting their community is close to their hearts,” he said.
Mudavadi added that the government remains focused on ensuring communities living near parks and reserves benefit from conservation.
“Nataka kumshukuru sana Rais kwa kurejesha Amboseli kwa mikono ya jamii ya Maasai. Hii ikiwa ni baada ya kuwasilisha na kutoa pendekezo kwenye baraza la mawaziri na kufuata taratibu zote zinazohitajika kisheria na kwa sasa ulimwengu wote umeshuhudia,” he said.
He went on to pay tribute to departed leaders who had fought for the same cause, saying, “Wale mababu wetu akiwemo akina Lenana, Ole Tip Tip, John Keen, Ole Ntimama na wengine sasa roho zao zitalala salama kwa kuwa kile walichopigania kwa miaka na karne, Rais Ruto sasa ametimiza kwa kuwa lilikuwa jambo walilokuwa wakipigania sana likiwateleza.”
Mudavadi said the historic move not only resolves a long-standing ownership dispute but also strengthens Kenya’s commitment to inclusive and sustainable conservation.
He further urged for a redefinition of the term “marginalized,” saying once-overlooked regions are now emerging as key drivers of national growth and sustainable development.
The handover coincided with the conclusion of the third edition of the Maa Cultural and Tourism Festival, a celebration that underscored the deep bond between culture, wildlife, and community-driven conservation.
