Leaders of the Maasai community have petitioned the Environment and Land Court in Narok, seeking the demolition of the $3 500-per-night, 20-suite camp, which features plunge pools and personalised butler service.<\/p>\n
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They contend that the facility blocks a vital path used during the famed Serengeti\u2013Maasai Mara migration, a movement that researchers say is essential for wildebeest to access food and maintain genetic diversity within herds.<\/p>\n
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The suit, brought by MERC Director Dr Meitamei Ole Dapash alongside local lawyers, also claims that there is no evidence that the required environmental impact assessment was conducted before construction.<\/p>\n
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The petitioners have asked the court to suspend the camp\u2019s scheduled opening and to prioritise the case, citing the urgency of protecting the migration corridor.<\/p>\n
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Dapash warned that the absence of strong regulatory oversight has already placed the fragile ecosystem under strain. \u201cWithout the county government regulating the tourist behaviours, the tourist activities, we saw the habitat, the environment degraded so badly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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The case has been filed against Marriott, its local developer, Lazizi Mara Limited, and Kenyan authorities responsible for approving the project.<\/p>\n
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In a statement released on Thursday, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) maintained that the Ritz-Carlton Safari Camp sits within a designated low-use tourism investment zone under the Maasai Mara National Reserve Management Plan 2023\u20132032. KWS says the development complies with existing zoning guidelines, though community groups argue that location alone does not address broader ecological impacts.<\/p>\n
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The dispute has intensified long-standing tensions over conservation, community rights and high-end tourism in one of the world\u2019s most iconic wildlife reserves.<\/p>\n
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