Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku faces the prospect of a jail term after the High Court admitted a contempt application accusing him of defying orders suspending the transfer of management of Amboseli National Park from the national government to the county administration.
In a July 12 court order, Justice Gregory Mutai certified the application as urgent. He directed that it be heard on July 24, setting the stage for a fresh legal showdown over the lucrative wildlife park whose management remains the subject of an ongoing constitutional petition.
Ole Lenku – Amboseli Row
The contempt proceedings stem from conservatory orders issued on December 30, 2025, which halted the implementation of a deed transferring management functions of Amboseli National Park to Kajiado County pending the hearing and determination of a petition challenging the move.
The case was filed by rights activist Joseph Kasau Masaa, who argues that the transfer was unconstitutional and violated provisions governing the management of national parks and public land.
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He maintains that wildlife conservation and management of national parks remain functions of the national government and cannot be transferred through executive action alone.
Under the latest court orders, Ole Lenku, the County Government of Kajiado, and any persons acting under their authority have been barred from entering, taking over, interfering with the management of Amboseli National Park, or implementing the contested deed of transfer, pending the hearing of the contempt application.
The petitioner alleges that despite the earlier conservatory orders, efforts to implement the transfer continued, prompting the filing of the July 9 contempt motion.
The application now places Governor Ole Lenku and county officials under intense legal scrutiny as the court examines whether its previous directives were disobeyed.
Battle Over Amboseli
The dispute centers on Gazette Notices issued in October 2025 and a deed of transfer signed on October 14, 2025, which sought to hand over management functions of Amboseli National Park to Kajiado County.
County leaders hailed the move as a major milestone in the devolution of natural resource management and a potential boost to local revenues.
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However, conservation groups and other stakeholders questioned both the legality and constitutionality of the process.
In a ruling delivered on December 30, 2025, the High Court declined attempts to strike out the petition. Instead, it preserved the status quo by issuing conservatory orders freezing implementation of the transfer until the case is fully heard and determined.
The court ruled that the issues raised in the petition raised constitutional questions requiring full consideration and could not be dismissed at the preliminary stage.
While the court has not made any findings against Lenku, the governor now faces contempt proceedings that could result in serious penalties if the court ultimately determines that its orders were breached.
Justice Mutai directed that the motion be served on all respondents and interested parties, with responses to be filed within seven days after service.
Parties have also been allowed to file skeleton submissions ahead of the July 24 hearing.
The judge further issued a penal notice warning that disobedience or non-observance of court orders could attract legal consequences.
“Take notice that any disobedience or non-observance of the order of the court served herewith will result in penal consequences to you and any other person(s) disobeying and not observing the same,” Justice Gregory Mutai stated.
The court further directed the petitioner to serve the motion and the orders in both physical and electronic form within three working days and file an affidavit of service before the contempt application is heard.
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