The High Court has temporarily stopped the Kajiado County Government from taking over the management and operations of Amboseli National Park, pending the hearing of a legal challenge over the park's control.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

In orders issued on July 12, Justice Gregory Mutai certified as urgent an application seeking to block the implementation of a Deed of Transfer dated October 14, 2025, which the petitioner argues would unlawfully hand over the management of the park.

The court directed that the application be served on all respondents and interested parties within three working days, with responses to be filed within seven days after service.

Justice Mutai further ordered that the application be heard inter parties on July 24, while allowing all parties to file skeleton submissions before the hearing.

📌 What You Need to Know

Pending the determination of the application, the court restrained the Kajiado County Government, Governor Joseph Ole Lenku, and anyone acting on the county's behalf from entering, taking over, managing, or interfering with the operations of Amboseli National Park.

The latest orders are the newest development in a dispute that has been unfolding for months over who should control the park. Earlier this year, disagreements emerged over revenue generated by Amboseli, with the Kajiado County Government and local community leaders accusing the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) of failing to honour a revenue-sharing agreement and threatening to block access to the park unless the funds were released.

The dispute later shifted to court after a constitutional petition challenged the legality of transferring management of the park to the county government. The petitioner argued that Amboseli National Park is public land held in trust by the national government under Article 62 of the Constitution and therefore cannot be transferred to a county government without clear constitutional and legal backing.

In late November 2025, the High Court issued conservatory orders suspending the transfer's implementation, maintaining the existing management arrangements while the case is determined.

The transfer had been formalised through government notices and a deed signed in October 2025, under which Kajiado County was expected to manage the park's day-to-day operations while KWS retained ownership and oversight responsibilities.

The court's latest orders reaffirm those earlier conservatory directives by barring the county government from implementing or attempting to implement the transfer until the application is heard and determined.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke