President William Ruto has officially handed over the Amboseli National Park to Kajiado County during the final day of the Maa Cultural Festival at the same park.

Ruto made the announcement, which will see Kajiado County get full control of the national park.

“Therefore, in exercise of the powers and authority conferred upon the head of state, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, do hereby ordain, declare, and direct that the management of Amboseli National Park is hereby vested in the county government of Kajiado,” Ruto said on Saturday, November 8, 2025.

Also watch: Lenku welcomes Cabinet approval of Amboseli park transfer to Kajiado County

Maa leaders speak

Speaking at the handover ceremony conducted at the park, Narok County Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu welcomed the move, expressing gratitude to President Ruto over the gesture.

”For over 51 years, the question of why the Amboseli land, donated by the Maasai community of Kajiado, is in the hands of the national government and not in the hands of the rightful owners, the Maa of Kajiado, has been answered today,” Ole Ntutu said.

According to Governor Ole Ntutu, the particular initiative has marked a monumental and great milestone for the Maa people, adding that it is a conversation that has been on every desk of every president in the past 50 years.

Top government officials and local leaders witnessed the official handover of the management of the Amboseli National Park to the people of Kajiado at Kimana Gate during the last day of the 3rd Maa Cultural Festival.

Amboseli National Park, situated in Southern Kenya, is well known for its large elephant herds and views of immense Mount Kilimanjaro, across the border in Tanzania.

It is home to varied wildlife, including giraffes, zebras, cheetahs and hundreds of bird species. The western section is dominated by vast Lake Amboseli, which is dry outside the rainy season.

Established in 1974, Amboseli National Park stands on land spanning 392 km². Speaking on Friday, November 7, 2025, Governor Patrick Ole Lenku welcomed the move while highlighting the importance of the Maa cultural habits, among them gathering in the bush to roast animal meat and maintaining a relationship with wildlife.

Preserving Maa culture

”Many Kenyans who have not paid close attention to Maa culture and traditions may not fully appreciate the significance of this practice: gathering in the bush to roast and eat meat, often without salt. This tradition has been handed down by our ancestors from time immemorial and remains a vital part of the rich Maa cultural heritage that we continue to safeguard with pride,” Ole Ntutu.

”The Maasai have always coexisted harmoniously with wildlife in the savannah, their way of life deeply intertwined with the rhythms of nature. This close relationship explains why the Maa people traditionally carry a knife on their waist, a symbol of readiness, for whenever an opportunity to share a meal of meat presents itself, they are prepared to partake in the feast,” he added.