Judiciary Holds Dialogue on Habitat Protection

In a significant move to bolster sustainable development and habitat protection, a stakeholders’ forum titled “Judicial Dialogue on Habitat Protection and Sustainable Development” was held in Kimana, Kajiado County. The event saw participation from various stakeholders including judges, magistrates, environmental authorities, and local community leaders.

Justice (Prof.) Joel Ngugi emphasized the critical need for streamlining legal frameworks to promote effective land use management. “We have to ensure our habitat and wildlife are protected by ensuring proper land use. Legal frameworks must be streamlined to ensure environmental justice,” he stated. Proper land use, he added, is essential for enhancing biodiversity protection and securing wildlife spaces for conservation.

The forum addressed existing gaps and challenges in environmental and wildlife conservation, highlighting the importance of robust legal frameworks in promoting justice and ensuring long-term conservation efforts.

Attendees included representatives from the Big Life Foundation, the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), the County Government, the Amboseli Ecosystem Trust, group ranch leaders, and members of the public. Judges and magistrates were sensitized on local environmental challenges, introduced to applicable legal regimes, and educated on issues related to habitat protection and sustainable development.

Hamilton Parseina, the Kajiado County Executive Committee Member in charge of Lands, Physical Planning, Housing, Urban Development, and Municipalities, announced that a county spatial plan is already in place. Launched in 2023, this plan guides land use management and delineates areas for human, wildlife, and livestock settlement, agricultural activities, and modern modulated pastoralism.

Benson Leyian, CEO of the Big Life Foundation, stressed that proper land use is essential for environmental and wildlife conservation, which in turn reduces human-wildlife conflict. He emphasized the need to sensitize the public about the spatial plan to ensure they understand the specific areas designated for wildlife, livestock rearing, and human settlement. Leyian also highlighted the importance of informing investors about these restrictions to ensure responsible development in Kajiado County.

Daniel Leturesh, Chairperson of the Amboseli Ecosystem Trust Board of Directors and Olgulului Group ranch, underscored the crucial role of community conservancies in providing land connectivity and dispersal areas for wildlife in the Amboseli region. He advocated for developing a legal framework that empowers conservancies to drive economic and social benefits for local communities through meaningful engagement with the National and County Governments.

The forum’s discussions and outcomes mark a significant step towards ensuring sustainable development and habitat protection in Kajiado County, aligning with broader national and global environmental conservation goals.