The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) has said that the Ritz Carlton Luxury Camp in Maasai Mara has not violated any law despite claims of blocking a migratory corridor.
Nema in a statement released on Monday explained that all rules were followed in granting the prestigious hotel licenses to construct its camp.
“The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), in line with its statutory mandate under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, has formally testified and certified that the Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara is not situated on any wildlife migratory corridor,” Nema said.
“This confirmation is supported by comprehensive ecological assessments, GPS-referenced field studies, and scientifically verifiable data,” the authority added.
According to the authority, the findings are fully consistent with Nema’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) licence and subsequent environmental audit, undertaken pursuant to Articles 42, 69 and 70 of the Constitution of Kenya, the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA, Cap. 387), and the Environmental (Impact Assessment and Audit) Regulations, 2003.
“In accordance with these constitutional and statutory requirements, Nema affirms that the project neither obstructs nor interferes with any established migratory pathways within the Masai Mara ecosystem.”
This conclusion, according to the agency, is grounded on factual evidence, rigorous environmental due diligence, and adherence to all legal and regulatory frameworks governing conservation, land use, and sustainable development in Kenya.
“Nema remains committed to its statutory mandate, which includes periodic environmental monitoring and audits as envisaged under EMCA so as to ensure that all approved projects adhere to the licensing conditions which are outlined in EIA licenses.”
Last week, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) dismissed allegations that the posh hotel in the Maasai Mara National Reserve is impeding the famous wildebeest migration corridor.
KWS moved to firmly dispel widespread social media claims alleging that the newly established Ritz-Carlton Safari Camp is obstructing the world-famous wildebeest migration within the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
In a detailed statement issued Thursday, KWS described the allegations as misleading, outdated, and largely fueled by competing commercial interests within the tourism sector.
The camp, according to KWS, is situated within a designated “low-use tourism investment zone” set out in the Maasai Mara National Reserve Management Plan for 2023-2032.
The zoning system, it is said, was jointly developed by national and county authorities and is rooted in ecological sensitivity assessments and long-term spatial planning to ensure tourism facilities do not interfere with wildlife behavior.
“The Ritz-Carlton safari camp is situated within a designated tourism investment low-use zone, as provided for in the Maasai Mara National Reserve Management Plan, 2023 – 2032,” KWS said in a statement dated November 27 2025.
KWS also took issue with images and videos circulating online, noting that several of them originate from unrelated historical incidents dating back to 2018 and 2020.
Others, the agency warned, may be deliberately amplified by rival commercial interests seeking to influence public perception of tourism investments in the Mara.
by GEOFFREY MOSOKU
