President William Ruto has officially transferred the management of Amboseli National Park from the national government to the County Government of Kajiado, marking the end of a five-decade push by Maa leaders for local stewardship of the iconic conservation area.

The declaration was made on Saturday, November 8, 2025, during the final day of the 3rd Maa Cultural Festival held inside the park. The ceremony drew senior national officials, Maa cultural elders, community leaders and thousands of residents in a rare public celebration inside one of Kenya’s most visited wildlife sanctuaries.

“In exercise of the powers conferred upon the Head of State, I hereby ordain and direct that the management of Amboseli National Park is vested in the County Government of Kajiado,” President Ruto said during the handover at Kimana Gate.

The decision ends more than 51 years of appeals by the Maasai community, who originally contributed the land for conservation but maintained that management should remain with the people of Kajiado.

Narok Governor Joseph Ole Ntutu hailed the announcement as a historic correction and a reaffirmation of cultural rights.

“For over 51 years, the question of why the Amboseli land, donated by the Maasai community of Kajiado, was in the hands of the national government has now been answered. Today marks a monumental milestone for the Maa people,” he said.

Kajiado Governor Patrick Ole Lenku echoed the sentiment, describing the move as a cultural and economic turning point.

“The Maasai have always coexisted harmoniously with wildlife. This handover is not just administrative, it is recognition of a heritage and way of life that has shaped conservation in this region,” Ole Lenku said.

He also spoke of the cultural traditions tied to the land, including communal meat-roasting gatherings in the bush, noting that such practices symbolize the community’s bond with nature.

Established in 1974 and spanning 392 square kilometers, Amboseli is famed for its free-roaming elephant herds and sweeping views of Mount Kilimanjaro just across the border in Tanzania. Its savannah plains support giraffes, zebras, cheetahs and more than 400 species of birds. Lake Amboseli, which fills seasonally, forms a dramatic backdrop for wildlife photography and conservation research.

The park has long been a central tourism asset, attracting tens of thousands of international visitors each year and supporting hundreds of livelihoods in the region.

The Kenya Wildlife Service is now expected to begin a structured transition process with Kajiado County to ensure continuity in wildlife protection, tourism operations, and community benefit-sharing.

Local leaders say the new arrangement could pave the way for:

• Increased revenue-sharing with local ranching communities

• Strengthened cultural tourism initiatives led by Maa communities

• Expanded conservation roles for indigenous knowledge systems

For many residents, the handover is more than a governance shift. It is a restoration of identity and custodianship over land considered sacred for generations.

Debate over Amboseli’s management has appeared on the desks of successive Kenyan presidents since the 1970s. Today’s event closes a political chapter while opening a new one focused on community-led conservation.

As chants, songs and traditional Maasai dances filled the air at Kimana, elders described the day as “the homecoming of Amboseli.”