• World Rally Championship planned July when 80,000 to 100,000 visitors are expected and cars will roar though protected site not far from Nairobi.
• There's a Valentine's Day Festival and other attractions; plans for a full-fledged amusement park were scrapped valentne
Image: COURTESY
Image: COURTESY
Image: COURTESY
The planned adventure activities inside Hell's Gate National Park violate the advice of conservationists and those who want to protect the park, scientists have said.
The park has been at the centre of controversy after authorities announced that it will hold at two events — earlier plans and initial construction for a full-fledged amusement park were stopped after an outcry by the public and conservationists.
But two events will go ahead, the Koroga Valentine's Day Festival and the World Rally Championship in July when cars will roar through the area, disturbing wildlife.
Event planners announced that their "Love Edition" will take place inside the park on February 14- and 15.
From 80,000 to 100,000 visitors are expected at the rally.
Authorities have defended the two events, saying they will not interfere with the fauna and flora of the park.
Scientists oppose the two events.
A public outcry fn 2018 forced organisers to stop the development of an adventure park.
Michael Wamithi, a former KWS director, said Hell's gate needs a serious restoration programme and not a money-fetching mission.
"Hell's gate has been reduced by geothermal develoment already. Holding such events will make matters worse," he told the Star on Monday
Parks are or for recreation or study. Holding a rally in a protected area "will be disastrous."Scientist who fears retribution
Wamithi said KWS has compromised its conservation mandate, instead puts money first."We do not need to look at money," he said.
"A scientist who asked for anonymity said, There is a categorisation of protected areas. What is the National Park Meant for?" He requested anonymity lest he be victimised by his bosses who are gun-ho for the projects.
"Parks are or for recreation or study. Holding a rally in a protected area "will be disastrous," he said.
Already, the environment regulator has asked organisers of the Love Festival to provide proof that the KWS has cleared the event. The National Environmental Management Authority wants the KWS certificate within seven days.
Nema also asked for a detailed assessment of the potential impacts of the event to the park and proposed suitable mitigation measures.
"Your response is expected within seven days for the authority to make an informed decision," director general Ali Mwanzei said.
The action was in response to a complaint sent to Nema on January 13 which raised concerns from the public about impacts of the event on endangered bird species and the degradation of natural resources.
Nema also made similar demands for impact assessments to the rally organisers.
KWS, as well as Tourism Ministry, have dismissed concerns raised by conservationists and scientists.
Last month, KWS said more than 20 events have been held successfully at Hell's Gate without s"significant damage" to the biodiversity in the park.
“The park has sites designed for hosting events where insecurity and disturbance to wildlife are minimised. We also have clear regulations for the event organisers including timing, noise levels, and clean-up after events,” KWS said.
Hell's Gate is renowned for cycling, rock climbing, horse riding, camping, walking, sightseeing and event hosting.
KWS said some funds raised from events at the park are ploughed back to support conservation and community development.
"As guardians of Kenya's national parks, we assure the public of our utmost commitment to maintaining the ecological integrity of these conservation and recreation facilities," KWS said.
The park is home to thousands of birds, such as the Ruppel's vultures that are critically endangered. They nest along the cliffs in the park. in 2015 they were on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
"The floodlights for Valentine's Koroga will scare nocturnal birds and other species; some could miscarry," he said.
The push and pull between authorities, conservationists and scientists follow past studies that show the park deserves a recovery
Its past shows how badly abused it was, he said. Its tenure as a protected national park was insufficient to create a recovery despite attempts to even re-introduce species. Its enforced transformation into an Adventure Park is universally recognised as one of the most disturbing of all human activities, the scientist said.
"It shows a thorough lack of appreciation and a contempt for the conservation of critically endangered species," one study says. The study is by Brown, L.H., 1977, 'the status population structure and breeding dates of the bearded African vulture.
Further, a task force investigating the impact of Geothermal development in the area has also raised concerns.
The task force said limits to the geothermal development in Hells Gate should be set and respected so that the integrity of the National Park is maintained. It called for the removal of Well 40, saying it threatens the vultures.
In 2018, plans for a permanent amusement park in the geologically active area were quashed after an uproar. Critics said it would spoil the park's natural beauty and endanger wildlife.
Last September seven people were trapped and drowned, including six tourists and a guide, in flash floods in the volcanic caverns, a popular tourist attraction.
That 'killer' Ol-Jorowa Gorge has been closed.
(Edited by V. Graham)