Tourism players differ over KWS plan to hire out national park sites
Business
By
Philip Mwakio
| Apr 16, 2024
Plans by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to lease sections of national parks to investors have elicited mixed reactions.
KWS plans to lease at least 13 tourist camps to private investors as part of arrangements to boost its revenues.
But renowned environmentalist and nature conservationist Hadley Benny Becha is leading the onslaught against the planned leasing deal. Becha, the executive director of Community Action for Nature Conservation (Canco), says the real problem lies with government policy and pronouncement that all state agencies should generate revenue of a certain proportion.
READ MORE
Crushing defiance and ignoring graft sends the wrong message
EU to unveil long-delayed 2040 climate target
Nursing courses top demand as KUCCPS places 310,502 students
From dorm fires to street protests; how a decade of school unrest shaped youth dissent
Push to review occupational safety and health laws
President Ruto calls for fairness, partnership at Global Financing Conference
The Finance Bill that soured Ruto's relationship with Gen Zs
Govt concludes University placement and commits to funding
Our youth are still sufferring a year after protests, Babu warns
Hope in Faith: Kenyans confident Kipyegon will break 4-minute barrier
"This has sent many into panic mode causing some to moot projects even if they are not viable. That is what KWS is doing," he says.
He argues that="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001493094/eight-buffaloes-electrocuted-in-nakuru"> national parks "They were not meant to generate money, the latter is secondary," argues Becha. According to him, leasing out public property to private enterprises for profit purposes is unacceptable. Hospitality marketer and chairman of the North Rift Tourism Association Paul Kimeli Kurgat, however, says the process by KWS was long overdue. "We are growing in all aspects of travel and so there is demand for accommodation. Look at Maasai Mara and try to get accommodation in the July - March period, one would be disappointed," he says. He defended the move, terming it as a well-researched plan that will not affect the existence and survival of wildlife. A fortnight ago, the state agency announced bids for investors to develop and manage tourism sites in selected national parks it manages. The sites include Ndololo and Patterson sites at Tsavo East National Park, Kanjaro and River Hippo sites at Tsavo West National Park, Tusk Camp in the Aberdares National Park, Mulika and Fig Tree in Meru National Park as well as Southern bypass sites at Nairobi National Park.
Kenyan tech firm launches platform for people to co-own cloud servers
Kenyan tech firm Siscom has unveiled a new investment platform that allows ordinary citizens,small businesses to co-own high-performance servers, in a bid to localise cloud infrastructure.
How developers can navigate funding challenges
Among the key industries that contributed to Kenya’s 4.7 per cent growth in gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024 was construction. The sector, however, had a negative growth of 0.7 per cent.
Power of colourful exterior finishes on buildings, property
A long time ago, before the advent of colour television, the real estate landscape was just as displeasing. The visual texture of buildings was bland, with limited shades of colours.
Tech, transparency driving brokers out of property market
Kenya’s real estate sector is undergoing a major transformation as unlicensed brokers, long seen as the gatekeepers between landowners, tenants and buyers face rapid obsolescence.
Logistics firm Express Kenya unveils Sh13b real estate project
First phase of project that will include a mall and petrol station in Nairobi to cost Sh250 million.The company, which started in 1918 and listed at the NSE in 1978, has seen earnings drop.