Who runs illegal lodges in Mara?

The Maasai Mara is acclaimed as one of the wonders of the world. Any adverse development in the game sanctuary is bound to be a matter of concern not only to local tourist industry, but globally.

So what is happening there leaves one wondering whether those charged with the management and preservation of our tourist and environment resources are up to scratch.

An inter-ministerial audit has revealed that of the 108 tourist establishments operating in the Greater Mara Ecosystem with nearly 4,000 beds, only 29 per cent are in business legally. This means the government is losing millions of dollars in uncollected taxes and fees.

But apart from revenue, licensing of hotels, game lodges and safari camps has a far more important purpose: to ensure that operators comply with the law to protect the environment and wildlife.

Where are the authorities when 70 per cent of lodges operate in flagrant disregard of the law? Apart from the officers of the Ministry of Tourism, where is the Narok County Council, the Kenya Revenue Authority and the Kenya Wildlife Service? Where is Nema?

The audit report, involving five ministries and a similar number of national agencies — Report on the Inventory of Tourism Facilities in the Greater Mara Ecosystem — was completed and presented to the government last March, yet nothing has been done about it.

It has taken outsiders — the UK Federation of Tour Operators — who last month raised the red flag over illegal activities in the Mara to awaken the authorities. Must we always be prodded even when it comes to protecting our own resources?

Tourism minister Najib Balala has promised that as from March 15, 2010, the government will shut down all the unlicensed tourist establishments.

“IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT SOME camps at Maasai Mara operate without licences. To make it worse, these establishment fail to pay taxes, and are flouting environment laws. We cannot sit back and watch a few individuals destroy our industry,” Mr Balala said. Strong words indeed. But that date has since passed.

Last year, when an inter-ministerial team was carrying out the audit into operations in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, it was actually denied access into two major facilities.

Can you imagine such audacity — being locked out of your house by a guest? Whoever did this must have been confident they could get away with it.

Their powerful connections, which make them display such arrogance, are obviously somewhere in the background.

Who actually operate these illegal establishments in the Maasai Mara?

When the Nation weeks ago highlighted the danger facing the Maasai Mara ecosystem, some of the e-mail responses had blatant provocative racial overtones (“If black Kenyans were in any way capable of running anything...”; “White Kenyans also born here and entitled to be here...”; “Whites are the ones running anti-poaching campaigns”; bla bla bla.)

More sober was: “It is not about race; it is an issue of greed and ignorance on all sides. The Maasai Mara is choked with lodges and camps already. It is just too easy for corrupt owners to bribe their way through the paperwork. Personally, before my next visit, I’d like to know which camps and lodges are operating legally. It would be healthy for the Maasai Mara ecosystem for many camps to close. The legal ones that remain would be full all year round.”

The operation of illegal establishments in Maasai Mara — and indeed villas and cottages at the Coast — makes us all lose out. The ball is firmly in your court, Mr Balala.

Mr Mwega writes on the environment (jmwega@yahoo.com)