The Lands Court has nullified the operating licence granted to Kamuthe Wildlife Conservancy in Garissa, ruling that the process leading to its registration was unconstitutional.
In a strongly worded judgment, the court faulted the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) for issuing the licence without involving local residents, stressing that public participation is a fundamental constitutional requirement in matters affecting community land.
“The community members were not involved in public participation,” the court noted, adding that there was no evidence to show that the people of Kamuthe were consulted before the conservancy was approved.
As a result, the court declared the registration and licence in favour of Kamuthe Wildlife Conservancy invalid, effectively stripping it of legal recognition.
