Meru: The national government has waived a Sh700 million debt owed to the owners of Leopard Rock Hotel by the county government of Meru. The owner of the lodge, which was located in Meru National Park, filed a suit in 2019 after the administration of the then governor Kiraitu Murungi forcibly took over the lodge following a second notice of termination of a lease contract with the hotelier. The first notice was issued by the first Governor Peter Munya.
According to Kenya News Agency, President William Ruto, speaking in Meru County during the launch of the Human-Wildlife Conflict Compensation Programme at Murera Grounds near Meru National Park, stated that he has held talks with the Meru leadership and resolved to settle the debt to prevent financial problems for the region and to protect its reputation as a tourist destination. The president announced that the national government would handle the payment instead of Meru County to avoid financial strain.
The president emphasized that waiving the debt would allow the county government to focus on other interventions, such as constructing facilities to attract more tourists and increase revenue from the park. To address wildlife and human conflict in the county, he directed Wildlife and Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano to seek resources to fence the entire Meru National Park.
In efforts to boost revenues from national parks and reserves, President Ruto mentioned that the government is constructing around 40 facilities to draw more tourists. He also highlighted plans to improve infrastructure leading to Meru National Park, with Sh250 million allocated for renovating Mulika airstrip. Although acknowledging that the funds may not suffice, he assured that additional resources would be provided to unlock the park's potential for the benefit of Meru and Kenya.
President Ruto stressed the importance of encouraging local tourism by ensuring proper infrastructure is in place. He also announced that park revenues would be collected through e-citizen, which has increased collections from Sh5.3 billion to Sh7 billion, with a target of Sh7.5 billion for the next financial year. This revenue will support ranger salaries and enhance conservation sustainability.
Furthermore, the president disclosed that Kenya Wildlife Service has granted leases to three hotels in Meru National Park, encouraging local investor involvement. He reiterated the government's commitment to compensating victims of human-wildlife conflict, noting that Sh2.8 billion has been released in two years, compared to Sh2.7 billion from 2013 to 2022. He highlighted the importance of prompt compensation through digitization to prevent long waits for affected Kenyans.