Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has revealed that Nairobi County has made several attempts to take over the management and revenue of the Nairobi National Park, but all efforts have been unsuccessful.
Sakaja, who appeared before the Senate Devolution Committee on Monday, November 24, told Senators that the national government should hand over the park’s revenue to the county just as it has done with other major parks across the country.
Sakaja explained that Nairobi County deserves similar treatment to Narok County, which manages and benefits directly from the Maasai Mara, and to Kajiado County, which recently took over the management of Amboseli National Park.
He argued that Nairobi National Park, which occupies almost one-eighth of the county’s land, should also be placed under county management.
He disclosed that his administration has written at least two formal letters to Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano seeking control of the park, which brought in Ksh1.2 billion last year.
However, he noted that the national government has been slow to act, even suggesting a 50/50 revenue-sharing model—an idea Sakaja insists is not good enough.
The governor made these statements while responding to questions about Nairobi’s revenue performance and future financial plans.
He highlighted the unfairness in how different counties benefit from national parks, saying counties such as Kajiado enjoy significant advantages because they directly collect revenue from the parks within their borders.
Sakaja vowed to continue fighting for Nairobi County to assume full control of Nairobi National Park, which is the only national park located inside a capital city anywhere in the world.
He insisted that the current selective application of park management transfers is unjust, especially after seeing a major ceremony where Amboseli National Park was officially handed over to Kajiado County.
He also noted that having a fully protected national park within the city limits restricts development opportunities—land that could otherwise support projects to boost county revenue.
The transfer of Amboseli National Park to Kajiado County was finalized through a Deed of Transfer signed on October 14.
Under this new arrangement, the revenue from the park will be shared equally between Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and Kajiado County during the 2026/2027 financial year.
The county’s share will then rise to 70 percent in 2027/2028, and by the following year, Kajiado County will take full control and retain 100 percent of the revenue.
Sakaja now wants a similar model applied to Nairobi National Park, arguing that Nairobi residents deserve a fair share of the resources generated within their own county.
Join Government Official WhatsApp Channel To Stay Updated On time
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWT5gSGufImU8R0DO30
