Kenya: Developer Lazizi Opposes Withdrawal of Ritz-Carlton, Maasai Mara Case

A young Maasai herder walks with his goats along the road leading to the "Mountain of God" - an active volcano rising near the village of Engare Sero, at the foot of Lake Natron

Nairobi — Developer Lazizi Mara Limited has formally objected to the withdrawal of a high-profile environmental petition challenging the development of the Ritz-Carlton Safari Camp in the Maasai Mara.

Mara Limited urges the Environment and Land Court to interrogate the withdrawal in the public interest.

The petition, filed earlier this year, raised concerns over environmental compliance, land use, and the potential impact of the luxury development on wildlife migration corridors and community rights.

It attracted widespread local and international attention, placing the developer and associated hospitality brands under intense public scrutiny.

When the matter came up before the Environment and Land Court in Narok on December 17, the petitioner's lawyer informed the Court that they had been instructed to withdraw the petition.

He stated that a notice of withdrawal had been filed and served, explaining that the decision followed engagements with the respondents and that the petitioner was now satisfied that the issues raised in the case had been addressed or were in the process of being addressed.

However, Lazizi Mara Limited, through its legal team, strongly opposed the withdrawal.

Speaking on behalf of the developer, Advocate Ezra Makori submitted that the petition was brought as a public interest matter and therefore could not be withdrawn at the unilateral discretion of the petitioner.

He argued that the Court retains an overriding duty to interrogate the propriety of such a withdrawal to guard against abuse of the court process, particularly where allegations of environmental harm and public concern have already been widely ventilated.

He further urged the Court to first determine the pending application for conservatory orders, noting that serious issues had been raised and extensively debated in the public domain, with significant reputational consequences for the developer.

Lazizi's legal team maintained that allowing the petition to be withdrawn without a substantive determination would leave damaging allegations unresolved and continue to cast doubt over the legality of the project.

The developer has consistently maintained that the safari camp was lawfully developed and fully compliant with environmental and regulatory requirements.

Read the original article on Capital FM.

Copyright © 2025 Capital FM. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.