Government Outlaws New Houses at Mara

By Godfrey Tung'wet Posted 19 July 2006 @ 06:28 pm EET     Print     Reprint     E-Mail     Comments

Nairobi (IBTimes.com) - Construction of new hotels, camps and lodges in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve has been outlawed.

"Those preparing to undertake such projects in the game reserve will now have to put on hold their plans until further notice," the Government said.

The decision comes after constant complaints from environmentalists and hoteliers about mushrooming structures within the Mara.

A committee has been formed under the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife to draw up new guidelines on construction within and outside protected areas.

"We are concerned that if measures are not taken soon, the game reserve might lose its role as a tourism destination," said Tourism and Wildlife minister Morris Dzoro.

"The decision had been taken to save the fledging tourism industry in the 1,510-kilometre ecosystem, which generates about Sh520 million annually," he said.

The Maasai Mara is shared by two municipalities–Narok and Transmara. Currently, there are more than 43 tourist facilities with a total bed capacity of 4,000. About 70 per cent of the establishments are found in the dispersal areas also referred to as the group ranches.

The decision will now lay to rest complaints that one of Kenya's most visited destination was slowly becoming a concrete jungle.

The new guidelines, the minister added, would apply to other national parks and game reserves.However, Mr Nzoro declined to say when the new guidelines would be ready.

The minister, who spoke at his office in Nairobi after inaugurating the new Hotels and Restaurants Authority Board, asked hotels and lodges to seek from his ministry licenses for operating businesses.

"We are not going to entertain people who construct structures first and seek licenses later. They must tell us about their plans in advance," said Mr Nzoro.

To further streamline the industry, Mr Dzoro said the ministry was formulating a sessional paper and a tourism Bill, which would then be tabled in Parliament.

Mr Dzoro, who was accompanied by Tourism, director Wanjiru Munene, said the Bill would involve review of Acts such as the Hotel and Restaurant Act Cap 494, Tourism Industry Licensing Act Cap 381 and Wildlife Conservation and Management Act Cap 376, among others.

"It will pave way for a comprehensive single Tourism Act that will serve as an effective regulatory tool for the sector," said the minister.

The new chairman of the authority, Mr Philip Ndolo, warned that the board would not hesitate to de-register hotels found engaging in child sex tourism and drug trafficking.