Whistleblower Alleges Massive Revenue Leakage at Maasai Mara

Fresh claims of large scale revenue losses have rocked the Maasai Mara, with several safari camps now under scrutiny over allegations that they have failed to remit mandatory park fees to Narok County for years.

At the centre of the accusations is Osero Sopia, a prominent owner operated safari camp known for wildlife photography and conservation. A whistleblower alleges that the camp, alongside others operating within the reserve, has continued to host tourists daily without paying the required park entry fees.

The whistleblower has challenged all implicated camp owners to publicly demonstrate compliance by producing official payment receipts for the past two years.

“If they believe I am lying or spreading unverified claims, let them show receipts,” he said. “Let them prove what they have paid over the last two years.”

According to the whistleblower, the allegations expose a much broader problem within the Maasai Mara National Reserve. He claimed Narok County is losing millions of shillings due to what he described as poorly structured business arrangements that allow some camps to operate outside proper revenue collection systems.

He alleged that several camps continue to operate normally, enjoy peak tourist seasons, and host guests nightly, yet divert park fees to individuals rather than remitting them to the county government.

To illustrate the scale of the alleged losses, the whistleblower cited camps with a capacity of up to 30 guests per night. Such numbers, he said, should generate substantial daily revenue for the county, particularly during high season.

Using what he termed conservative estimates, he explained that park entry fees during peak season average about USD 200 per visitor. Assuming just 20 guests per day, a camp would generate USD 4,000 daily in park fees.

With high season lasting approximately three months or 90 days, he said a single camp would generate about USD 360,000 in park fees over that period, equivalent to roughly Sh45 million.

“That is just one camp,” he said. “Now imagine how much the county loses when several camps operate this way.”

The whistleblower further alleged that similar arrangements exist across the reserve, claiming the presence of an organised network involving some camp operators and senior park officials. He alleged that camps align themselves under specific wardens and chiefs, creating structures that allow revenue diversion to persist without accountability.

He described the alleged scheme as deliberate and long running.

“These crooks are running a coordinated theft in the Mara,” he claimed. “Camps divide themselves under certain wardens and chiefs.”

He also referred to individuals he described as influential intermediaries within the reserve, singling out one person, Ole Shani, whom he claimed behaves as though he owns the Maasai Mara.

The whistleblower said he is compiling a comprehensive list of camps he alleges have failed to remit park fees and warned that more names would soon be made public.

“My list is almost complete,” he said. “More details are coming.”

He stressed that the issue is not driven by personal rivalry but by a push for accountability and justice for Narok County residents, who rely heavily on tourism revenue to fund development, healthcare, education, and conservation.

He warned that continued revenue leakage threatens conservation efforts and denies local communities the benefits expected from one of Kenya’s most valuable tourism assets.

Narok County authorities have yet to issue an official response, and camps named indirectly in the allegations have also remained silent.

The whistleblower reiterated his call for documentary proof, insisting that the matter should be resolved through evidence rather than statements.

“If they say these are just allegations, let them show receipts,” he said.

As scrutiny over revenue management in the Maasai Mara intensifies, the claims have raised serious questions about transparency, oversight, and accountability within one of Kenya’s most iconic wildlife destinations. While the allegations remain unproven, the figures cited suggest potential losses running into tens of millions of shillings from a single camp alone, fuelling growing calls for a full audit and stricter enforcement across the reserve.