Residents of Taita Taveta, Kajiado and Makueni counties will have to wait longer to benefit from revenue sharing arrangements with Tsavo National Park.
President William Ruto disclosed this on Tuesday during the launch of what is now the world’s largest rhino sanctuary.
The President revealed that an earlier promise to share park revenues with local communities has been shelved after financial assessments showed the park currently operates at a loss, with operational costs exceeding income.
“Initially we had agreed with the people of this county and I had directed KWS and the department to plan on how we can share the revenue that comes from this national park. But I was given the balance sheet and told that this place has no profit,” President Ruto said during the launch ceremony at Tsavo West National Park.
He noted that the amount of money used for daily operations and salary payments exceeds what the park generates as profit, making the immediate implementation of revenue sharing impossible.
However, the President outlined an ambitious three-pronged strategy to turn the park into a profitable venture that can eventually benefit surrounding communities.
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The plan includes expanding the rhino sanctuary which is now officially the largest in the world at 3,200 square kilometers that aims to attract high-paying tourists willing to spend premium amounts to see the endangered species.
“This is the largest Rhino Sanctuary in the world. It is twice the size of Maasai Mara and three times bigger than Meru national park,” President Ruto said, emphasizing that protecting the endangered species would attract more tourists paying top dollar.
The second component involves constructing five high-end hotels within Tsavo West National Park where tourists will pay between USD 500 to USD 1,000 per day.
“We will have five new hotels that will be constructed in this place. Those five new hotels will be high-end that when a tourist comes, they will pay USD 500 or USD 1000 per day. Even in Maasai Mara, that is the price to be paid,” the President stated.
The third strategy focuses on generating revenue through carbon credit sales from the sanctuary, which the government says will create substantial income that can be shared with communities in the three counties.
President Ruto directed the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife to make arrangements for executing these plans to ensure the park benefits both the country and families living near the park.
The launch of the expanded Tsavo West Rhino Sanctuary marks a significant milestone in Kenya’s conservation history, transforming the former 92-square-kilometre Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary into a 3,200-square-kilometre expanse capable of holding more than 2,000 black rhinos.
KWS Director General Professor Erastus Kanga emphasized the economic importance of wildlife conservation to Kenya’s economy, noting that tourism contributes 10 percent of the country’s GDP.
“Tourism in this country is supporting 10% of our GDP and that means for every 100 shillings that you have; 10 shillings is because of tourism. Then when you get down is that 75% of the visitors who come to this country, they come for game viewing. So out of those 10 shillings then it means 7 shillings and 50 cents is because of Wildlife,” Professor Kanga said.
He explained that the expansion would create numerous employment opportunities for residents of the three counties, including positions for tour guides and tour drivers, while the planned high-end hotels would provide jobs for young men and women from the local communities.
“The tax that those hotels will be paying will completely increase. Then those hotels are going to provide jobs for our young men and women and mostly they will be coming from the three counties,” Professor Kanga stated.
Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife Rebecca Miano described the sanctuary expansion as “an uncontested win of global significance” and the largest of its kind on Earth.
“Starting today, the Tsavo West Rhino sanctuary effectively grows from a 92 square kilometre protected enclave to a whooping 3,200 square kilometers expanse. And this is the largest of its kind on earth,” CS Miano said.
She assured the President that the ministry would ensure communities remain at the heart of conservation efforts, emphasizing that the sanctuary represents a foundation of futuristic biodiversity conservation, a source of dignified livelihood for many and a lasting covenant for community wealth building and self-reliance.
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President Ruto also announced that the National Infrastructure Plan, which will mobilize resources from the budget, privatization proceeds and royalties to attract private sector investment, would be ready this week.
He said the plan would focus on arid and semi-arid areas like Taita Taveta County and disclosed that among the first projects under the new National Infrastructure Program would be the Galana Kulalu dam.
The President emphasized the need to construct 1,000 dams across the country to ensure adequate water for citizens, wildlife and livestock while helping to curb human-wildlife conflicts.
The sanctuary currently holds 150 black rhinos from Ngulia and 50 from the Tsavo West Intensive Protection Zone, forming a founder population of 200 black rhinos which is the largest in Kenya.
The government has invested over $4.7 million (KSh 606 million) in advanced security systems including AI-enabled cameras, drone surveillance, 250 kilometers of upgraded fencing, and more than 300 security personnel to protect the expanded sanctuary.
By Michael Oduor
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