Conservationists query hotel on Mara corridor
By Faith Macharia, July 28, 2025The director of Masaai Education, Research, and Conservation (MERC) Institute, Meitamei Ole Dapash, has rebuked Marriott International, accusing them of overseeing illegal and ecologically destructive construction in one of the world’s most iconic wildlife corridors.
In a letter addressed to Anthony Capuano, President and CEO of Marriott International, Dapash demanded immediate disclosure of all legal, environmental, and ethical documentation related to the development of the Ritz-Carlton Safari Camp slated to open on August 5, 2025.
He stated that the Ritz-Carlton brand, under the auspices of Marriott International, has undertaken the construction of a massive luxury hotel at the Sand River wildebeest crossing, along the Kenya–Tanzania border between the Maasai Mara National Reserve and the Serengeti National Park.
“This site is globally recognised as one of the most vital wildlife migration corridors on Earth. Its desecration is a tragedy and a scandal,” wrote Dapash.
Migratory path disrupted
The controversial project, located on the Kenya–Tanzania border in the Sand River area, has reportedly disrupted the migratory path of wildebeests, which is an annual spectacle that draws thousands of international tourists and supports Kenya’s multibillion-shilling tourism industry.
According to MERC, the construction site was previously home to endangered black rhinos and large buffalo herds and is now at the centre of an environmental and cultural firestorm.
Dapash stated that these developments have raised urgent legal, environmental and ethical concerns. MERC is formally requesting all land lease and acquisition agreements, environmental permits issued by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the full Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report.
Consultations
“Produce verifiable evidence that meaningful consultations were conducted with local Maasai communities, in accordance with national law and international protocols such as the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP),” the letter demanded.
Additionally, they should also submit internal records confirming adherence to Marriott International’s environmental and ethical policies, including your Serve 360 platform and other sustainability benchmarks and established grievance redress mechanisms for the affected community
The conservationist further accused Marriott of exploiting weak enforcement mechanisms, local corruption, or inadequate oversight to advance a project that would never be permitted in countries with stricter environmental laws, such as the US, UK or Japan.
“Kenya is not a dumping ground for corporate irresponsibility. Your project has proceeded without transparency, community consent, or public accountability. As a result, we are pursuing legal, diplomatic, and international advocacy measures to halt this development,” the letter states.
Construction activities, described as involving trench digging and artificial mounds, have reportedly caused disruption to wildlife patterns, resulting in injuries and deaths of migrating animals attempting to navigate altered terrain.
There are also concerns about intentional diversion of herds to benefit the hotel’s positioning for tourist viewing, with claims that authorities have used fire to bait wildebeests into the Mara side of the border early.
“These reckless modifications threaten both biodiversity and cultural heritage,” Dapash wrote, noting that the Maasai regard this land as sacred.