Derived from the Maasai word “Embusel,” meaning fine salty dust, Amboseli has long lived up to its name a land of abundant waters, lush vegetation, and rich coexistence between people, wildlife, and culture.
For generations, locals have revered Amboseli’s alkaline soils, saying they once provided all the minerals their livestock needed. “We never had to buy salt for our cows. Once they licked embusel, that was enough,” recalled resident Margaret Stoni during the Maa Festival 2025.
Another local, Joshua Barneet, added, “Embusel is where salt is found. Amboseli and Embusel mean the same thing just like saying President William and President Ruto. Welcome to Amboseli.”
Home to the world-famous big-tusked elephants, Amboseli is also known for its rare harmony between humans and wildlife. Locals say they can identify individual elephants and their family groups a testament to generations of peaceful coexistence.
This year’s Maa Festival carried added significance as it coincided with President William Ruto’s historic handover of Amboseli National Park to the County Government of Kajiado, effectively returning management of the land to the Maasai community.
Richard Oloitiptip, Vice Chairman of the Maasai Council of Elders, hailed the move: “We are here to celebrate the decision made by our President. We thank him for remembering the Maasai community.”
Amboseli, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1991, was first gazetted as a national park in 1974. While the designation aimed to promote conservation and research, it also displaced local communities and cut them off from the benefits of their ancestral lands.
President Ruto acknowledged this in his speech:
“The Maa community lost management and benefits, and for decades you carried that pain with dignity and faith that one day justice would prevail.”
Margaret Mereyian from the African Wildlife Foundation praised the decision as a “game-changer,” noting that it places communities at the center of conservation efforts.
Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku, joined by Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu and Samburu Governor Jonathan Lati Leletit, said the transfer would finally allow locals to benefit from Amboseli’s economic potential.
“This is a game-changer because it also shows that truth has been done,” Lenku said. “We cannot underrate the economic value, but this wildlife is our heritage.”
According to Gazette Notice No. 15230, management of Amboseli will transition gradually from the national to county government over three years starting July 1, 2026. Revenue sharing will begin at 50-50, shift to 70-30 in favor of the county in 2027/28, and by 2028/29, all park revenue will go to Kajiado County.
Amboseli currently generates about KSh 1.5 billion annually through park fees, sustainable tourism, and nature-based initiatives income that will now directly support the community that has safeguarded it for centuries.
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