Uasin Gishu Residents Push for Updated Conservation Fees to Boost Wildlife Protection
It has been close to 20 years since the last review, and in that period, we have experienced significant ecological and economic changes
Senior Assistant Director for the Central Rift Conservation Area public participation forum in Uasin Gishu
By Juliet Jerotich
The people of Uasin Gishu County have shown an urgent need for reviewing conservation fees in a public participation meeting aimed at improving wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism within the region.
The exercise, under the coordination of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), forms part of a national consultative process to evaluate entry fees in national parks and game reserves. The charges were last evaluated in 2007, with significant economic conditions and environmental conservation needs that have occurred since then.
The proposed review is prompted by various considerations, including increasing conservation requirements, increased cases of human-wildlife conflict, and continuous loss of natural habitats. During the forum, participants highlighted the need to replenish dwindling wildlife populations, with focus placed on the sitatunga antelope and its fragile swamp habitat. They stressed that giving priority to such species would provide biodiversity conservation and ecological stability in the region.
Additionally, the residents asked the government to access Eldoret’s international airport so that it can position Uasin Gishu as a top safari destination. They believe promoting the county as a wildlife tourist destination would not only improve conservation activities but also highly benefit the region’s economy through job creation and tourism revenue.
Gideon Kebati, Senior Assistant Director for the Central Rift Conservation Area, explained that the suggestion seeks to align the conservation charges with the demands of the modern era and also guarantee fair representation of sentiments of the local people.
We are consulting stakeholders to reach an agreement on a fee system that can sustainably fund conservation goals without overburdening neighboring communities. It has been close to 20 years since the last review, and in that period, we have experienced significant ecological and economic changes that need to be taken into consideration,” Kebati said.
Proposals consolidated from the Uasin Gishu meeting will be combined with other remarks from similar meetings from other counties. The integrated meetings’ findings will guide the preparation of a final proposal to be presented to the government for approval and eventual implementation.
KWS has also called on all Kenyans from any part of the country to participate actively by sending their inputs and suggestions via an email address rates@kws.go.ke. This participatory mechanism is meant to ensure that policies for future conservation charges are fair, sustainable, and beneficial to wildlife conservation as well as neighboring communities.
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