December 2025

GENERAL

The drought continued well into December leading to intense pressure by the community to allow grazing in the Reserve.  We met with elders on the 11th and agreed to allow limited access to a strip along the escarpment on condition that they don’t come in before 10.00 am and leave by 4.00 pm.  The grazing is to be overseen by elders and no dogs or hunting will be allowed.  We have recently had several days of heavy and very widespread rain (126.8 mm), alleviating the situation but much depends on whether the rain will persist into January.

The Board approved that Houseman General Contractors be awarded the contract to construct the Visitor Centre.  M/s Void/Mwanzoni Ltd will oversee and manage the construction.  Work has started on preparing the site, including hoarding and staff accommodation.  The contractors are scheduled to start in earnest on 5th January.

There were weeks of clashes between the Kalenjin and Maasai along the escarpment, it had no direct impact on the Reserve, but several people were killed and hundreds of homesteads burnt down.  It is difficult to understand the real reason behind the clashes; they started with stock theft but then long-held resentment over land ownership and resources fueled the worst of the clashes.  The Government has brought the situation under control, and a number of illegal firearms have been surrendered. 

COLABORATION AGREEMENT

  • We met with the Governor and a senior team from the County on the 3rd to discuss extending collaboration to include managing the road network throughout the County.  The proposal was taken to the Board who expressed serious reservations and a reluctance for the Conservancy to be involved.  In the meantime, we have agreed to help get equipment in working order.  This includes the purchase of over 180 tyres, engine overhauls and major services on County equipment.  We have already fitted 50 tyres, rehabilitated two graders and three tipper trucks.

  • We have completed renovations at Talek, built a new kitchen/mess, a new septic tank, renovated the toilets and painted the gate house and fixed the entrance gates.  A recent inspection of the toilets found them to be dirty and uncared for – a week after completing them.

  • We have started on the new toilets at the Keekorok airstrip and are designing a shade for the bead sellers.

  • We have resurfaced and graded the roads from Talek to Look Out, as well as grading the main Sekenani/Keekorok road.

  • We have started work on the new ranger post at the Ngama Hills.  The borehole there has a lot of very good water.

  • We have started on renovating the main offices and Administrator’s house at Sekenani.

STAFF

We received a report from the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) consultants on our adherence to the labour laws and best practices in recruitment and management of staff.  We received an overall rating of 74%, with recruitment being our lowest score – this reflects the intense political pressure and interference whenever we try and recruit someone. 

WILDLIFE

Nora, a well-known cheetah in the Main Reserve was killed by a leopard on the 13th and on the same day a coalition of male lions crossed the river and killed two of Nola’s cubs.  Nola is a single lioness  that lives near Ololoolo.

A lion cub was rescued from Mara North on the 29ᵗʰ, it had serious bite injuries and was brought to our holding pens near Serena.

TOURISM

Little Governors is closed for complete makeover and will be opened in June next year.  Mpata has been purchased by a new owner and has closed since Covid and should be open for the next high season after a complete rebuild.

SECURITY

A total of 36 poachers were arrested in December.  Forty-two wire snares were recovered, a warthog, five wildebeest, three zebra, a buffalo and one giraffe were butchered.

Four people were arrested on the 1ˢᵗ after we received a request for assistance from our Tanzanian counterparts in Kinyangaga.  They were hunting with dogs and had killed a warthog.

The Iseiya team crossed the river into the Northern Serengeti for a three day patrol on the 3ʳᵈ.  They managed to arrest 15 poachers.  On the first day they arrested one person near Kogatende and then caught four more that night.  The next day they caught four more people and then five more on the 5ᵗʰ – they were hunting hippo along the river. One person was caught on the 6ᵗʰ.  In total the team recovered 27 snares and found where four wildebeest and a zebra had been killed. 

The Ngiro-are team then went on an extended patrol on the 8ᵗʰ and managed to arrest two people on the first day where the previous team had found a stash of maize meal hidden in a tree near Tabora B, they recovered 30 wire snares.  That night they caught two more people and then three more on the 9ᵗʰ. Ten more wire snares were recovered.

A joint Conservancy patrol patrolled the Wogga Kuria hills in the Northern Serengeti on the 11ᵗʰ and managed to arrest four people who had just killed a buffalo.  They first dazzle them with torches, hamstring them and then when immobile they spear them.  Interestingly, they say that buffalo are easier to kill than animals like zebra.

The Iseiya rangers went on an extended patrol into the Northern Serengeti on the 17ᵗʰ and managed to arrest seven people over three days.  The poachers had killed two zebras, a wildebeest and a giraffe.  Five snares were recovered.  The Ngiro-are rangers managed to arrest two poachers on the 19ᵗʰ in the swamp, one of our thermal cameras fell into the water and was destroyed.


REVENUE & ACCOUNTS

We received a preliminary report from Nicholas and Co on their review of KAPS’ systems.  There are a number of issues that will be raised with KAPS management once the report is finalized.

Our management accounts for the period July-November show that our revenue was down 5% on last year but up by 22% on budget (Ksh 502,671,329 against budget of Ksh 413,096,321)– we were very conservative on our estimates, given global uncertainties.  Expenditure was up by 16% on budget, but we have completed most of our projects for the year. Our net income for the period stands at Ksh 176,604,336. However, this will be drawn down as we enter into a period of lower Park Fees and low season.

 REPORT ON FOCUS FOR DECEMBER 2025

  • We have virtually completed the work at Little Governors.

  • We purchased and set up a crimping machine for hydraulic pipes.  This will save considerable time and expense in repairing the hydraulic pipes.

  • The recent rains have stalled work on our roads.

  • We fenced the community borehole at Kawai.

FOCUS FOR JANUARY 2026

  • Repair filtration plant at Mara Bridge;

  • Complete new road to the Salt-lick;

  • Start construction of the Visitor Centre;

  • Complete FKE contract;

  • Attend Greater Serengeti meeting 9-11th.

Work on Collaboration Agreement

  • Continue with toilets at Keekorok;

  • Connect water from the new borehole;

  • Complete work at Ngama Hills;

  • Continue with work at Sekenani;

  • Road team to resume on the 5th;  and

  • Hold next quarterly planning meeting.