Controversy looms as new luxury hotel in Masai Mara sparks uproar

The opening of a luxury camp in the Masai Mara, on the Kenya-Tanzania border, has been contested by the Maasai Education, Research, and Conservation Institute; a non-profit registered in Kenya and the U.S.

In a demand letter, the director of the non-profit Dr. Meitamei Ole Dapash opposes the construction of the Ritz-Carlton Sand River Safari Camp on the grounds that it sits on a wildlife migration corridor.

"This site is globally recognized as one of the most vital wildlife migration corridors on Earth, and its ecological and cultural importance is irreplaceable. I have personally studied and known this sacred territory for decades... this location was a habitat for endangered black rhinos and large herds of buffalo,” noted R. Dapash.

Dr. Dapash has therefore made several demands of Marriott International including full disclosure of land lease and user agreements, certified copies of permits issued by NEMA and verifiable evidence that meaningful consultations were conducted with local Maasai communities.

He has given Marriott International 14 days from Thursday, July 24th, to respond with all supporting documentation.

The following avenues of recourse having been outlined in the demand letter: legal proceedings in Kenya's Environment and Land Court, formal complaints to UN agencies, international tourism regulators and the global conservation community and international media exposure.