Nature lovers have supported government’s decision to halt the issuance of licences and permits for various projects in key wildlife conservation areas.
Head of Public Service Felix Koskei directed Nema to stop issuing license and permits in Kajiado, Machakos (Athi-Kapiti Corridor), Narok, Laikipia, Taita Taveta and Baringo.
The directive will stay in force until a conservation policy is in place.
“In a meeting between the President and the wildlife conservation players, land management matters were flagged as some of the issues affecting sustainable wildlife conservation and management,” Koskei said in a letter dated July 24.
Tourism CS Peninah Malonza, her Lands counterpart Zacharia Njeru and Environment's Soipan Tuya have been given the new directive.
Conservation Alliance of Kenya board chairperson Lucy Waruingi, policy and advocacy manager at Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association Gladys Warigia and Amboseli Ecosystem Trust CEO Jackson Mwato are among those who have supported the move.
Others are Big Life Foundation CEO Benson Leyian, Mount Kenya Trust executive director Susie Weeks and Southern Rift Association of Landowners CEO John Kamanga.
Waruingi said, “We have an opportunity to begin to imagine and plan for innovative economic opportunities, and to be clear, this is not all about space for wildlife."
She said there is a need to think and plan about how to develop sustainably.
Warigia said the continued delay in registration of community lands denies the communities their rights to land access, ownership, and use.
“Optimising the productivity of community lands, which account for over 70 per cent of Kenya’s land, will largely occur when the unregistered lands are registered and titled,” Warigia said.
Warigia said the long-term success of investments in conservation and other land uses are highly pegged to communities in Kenya having secured land tenure.
Mwato said, “We’ve classified zones for settlement, urban, livestock, conservation, tourism, and mining – all have been considered. But what has been challenging is the enforcement of the land use zones and restrictions, and because of recent subdivision, people converting the rangelands to different uses that are not compatible.”
Mwato said the society and the country must get awareness that people should develop land, based on what is allowed according to the zone.
Leyian said the President has been categorical on carbon potential, payments for ecosystem services and tourism as an income earner in the country, and he’s now taking care of the goose that lays the golden eggs.
“It is possible for all land uses to co-exist within one ecosystem, by zoning space for each in the appropriate areas.”
Leyian said new developers in Amboseli are violating land use plans and that the new directive will support communities in their efforts to ensure that their development and land use plans are followed.
Weeks said existing fenced corridors and migratory corridors should be kept open for the benefit of people and wildlife.
“Corridors that are severed due to poor planning and misguided development projects have a negative impact on people as it is inevitable that human-wildlife conflict will increase,” she said.
Weeks said the Mount Kenya Elephant Corridor is a great example of how corridors can have a positive impact on people living on the edge of protected areas with an abundance of wildlife.
Kenya is endowed with an extraordinary wealth of mammals, birds and other biodiversity.
There is however evidence of escalating wildlife loss, with a drastic decline of wild animals populations between 1977 and 2013 – on average by 67 per cent.
The rising human population has been responsible for the declines.
Under the new directive, there will be no further land subdivision and change of land use in the specified areas.
Lands ministry will fast-track Community Land Act.