People living around Maasai Mara say reserve not benefiting them

Tourists watch a herd of wildebeest run through a field during the annual wildebeest migration through the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

The world famous wildebeest migration, regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the World at the Maasai Mara Game Reserve is only just weeks away.

However, as the tourists prepare to witness the migration, people living around the game reserve say they have little to celebrate about this annual event.

Locals say they have remained poor despite playing a major role in guarding the wildlife in the reserve for years.

According to Mr Simon ole Karia, who lives near the Sekenani gate, one of the main routes to the game reserve, the poverty index in the area is very high.

He says that only a few individuals, mainly the hoteliers, county officials and tour operators benefit from the game reserve.

LANDLORDS HAVE BECOME WATCHMEN

Another resident, John Lekishon, says a number of landlords had resorted to doing menial jobs like being watchmen in facilities put up on their own parcels of land.

He says out of desperation, the communities around the reserve had resorted to mining stones, poaching as well as charcoal burning which will in the future impact negatively on the environment.

Nick Murero, the chairman of Narok County Wildlife Forum, faults the owners of lodges and camps in the reserve for not employing locals.

He says managers import most of the human resource, living locals jobless.

Mr Leshan Ntutu who chairs the land owners association on the western side of the reserve says that the only way locals can benefit from their resource that belonged to their forefathers was for the them to stop selling and leasing it but instead invest directly in the land.

During a number of visits to the reserve, Narok Governor Samuel ole Tunai said his government had put in place a master plan to ensure locals benefit.

He said investors would be required to set aside a certain percentage of job opportunities for the locals.

The County Boss said locals should be encouraged to invest in tourism through incentives from both national and county governments for them to compete with foreign and other investors.