Narok all set to host 13th Mara Day celebration

Preparations for the 13th Mara Day celebration to be held at the Sekenani Gate of the Masai Mara National Reserve have begun in earnest.

The annual event, held on rotation between Kenya and Tanzania, focuses on the conservation of the Mara River Basin, a critical ecosystem for the Maasai Mara and Serengeti regions.

Speaking at the launch of the event on Thursday, Narok Deputy Governor Tamalinya Koech said a series of preparatory events have been planned throughout the week before the celebrations peak on Sunday, September 15.

Environment, Climate Change and Forests Cabinet Secretary Adan Duale is expected to grace the main event.

Koech, who addressed students of Sekenani Girls High School, said the Mara Day celebrations will be accompanied by activities such as tree planting, exhibitions and competitions.

The DG, who was accompanied by the Deputy County Commissioner of Mara Division, Dr Vincent Naana Olei from Tanzania, said the theme of this year’s celebration was ‘Moving Forward Together: Conserving the Mara Basin Ecosystem for Sustainable Biodiversity and Climate Resilience’.

This theme, he said, underscores the need for collaborative efforts to protect this vital resource.

“All the delegates from Kenyan counties of Narok, Bomet, members of the East African Community, Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) and our brothers from Tanzania are already here for the Mara Day week which started today in Sekenani with tree planting and cleaning of towns around the Maasai Mara Game Reserve,” Koech said.

On Saturday, Maasai Mara University will host a one-day scientific conference expected to involve 48 researchers, scientists and environmental experts.

According to Narok County Chief, Willy Loigero, a total of 60 abstracts submitted by researchers and scientists from around the world including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Belgium will be presented at the conference.

Professor PLO Lumumba, a renowned researcher, will be the keynote speaker at the scientific conference.

The areas that will be covered at the conference are environmental conservation and climate resilience in the Mara Basin ecosystem.

The conference will also discuss natural resource management for inclusive socio-economic development in the Mara Basin ecosystem.

Tanzania hosted the 12th Mara Day celebrations last year in Mugumu, Serengeti District, Mara Region.

The Mara River basin is one of ten major rivers that flow into Lake Victoria, the second largest freshwater lake in the world.

The river is the lifeline of the world-famous Masai Mara and Serengeti ecosystems, which form the bedrock of tourism in the two sister EAC countries.

Mara Day was established in 2012 to raise awareness for the conservation of the Mara River Basin (MRB), a critical ecosystem in the Masai Mara Game Reserve and Serengeti National Park, shared by Kenya and Tanzania.

Celebrated every year on September 15, this day highlights the importance of sustainable management of the basin’s resources.