Nelson Amenya, the whistleblower who exposed the controversial JKIA deal involving the Adani Group, is back with new explosive claims, this time raising concerns over a possible sale of the Kipini Conservancy.
On Thursday evening, the whistleblower took to his social media platforms to allege that the conservancy's owner was planning to sell the property to the highest bidder.
The conservancy, located in the heart of Kenya’s Tana Delta, is a vital ecosystem where endangered species, including elephants, lions, leopards, and turtles, thrive.
Before its approval as a wildlife habitat, Kipini Conservancy operated as a cattle ranch. However, due to a tsetse fly infestation, the ranch was abandoned and later converted into an animal conservancy.
Amenya, in his latest exposé, claims that the wildlife conservancy is currently under threat from one of the owners, who he claims has on several occasions attempted to sell it to a government entity.
In the exposé, the Adani whistleblower revealed that the conservancy chairperson reportedly made an initial move to sell the conservancy at a Ksh64 billion to a public entity, but the deal never went through.
According to Amenya, efforts by the conservancy's chairperson to sell the property were halted after a family member, who is part of the ownership, moved to court to stop the sale.
"Instead of becoming a beacon for conservation, Kipini has become a cautionary tale of exploitation and deceit," Amenya wrote.
He further noted that the move to sell the land was also driven by plans to explore gas and oil in the vast area, which lies between Tana River and Lamu counties.
"Kipini Conservancy is designated for wildlife conservation and tourism in the Lamu County Spatial Plan. Yet, its future is being quietly bartered away," Amenya stated.
"This is more than a land dispute. It is a battle for one of Kenya’s last truly wild coastal frontiers. If we lose Kipini, we lose an irreplaceable link in East Africa’s ecological and cultural heritage," he added.
While lamenting over the possible sale of Kipni Conservancy, Amenya called on the Tourism Cabinet Secretary, Rebecca Miano and Chief Justice Martha Koome to intervene and ensure the safety of the conservancy.
