A BRIEF HISTORY OF ENKUSERO SAMPU
CONSERVANCY
Sampu
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Sampu is a maa word meaning “a place of many colors” and Enkusero
is a maa word which means “ table like plains”. The two words are
combined to symbolize the beauty and abundance of the Olooruka
hills that stretch across the Enkusero Sampu Conservancy creating
an amphitheatre with the numerous flora and fauna found within
its boundary.
The conservancy is in an indigenous community setting, hosting
Maasai, who have withstood time to preserve their cultural heritage
that dates back centuries ago.
Enkusero Sampu Conservancy (ESC) is an organization registered
in Kenya as a trust. It has its primary focus dedicated towards
preserving, promoting and protecting the diversity of both the
cultural heritage and the natural wildlife resources of Kenya.
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Community based initiative was formed in 2011 by 36 Maasai families who
decided to consolidate their individual parcels of land to form a
conservation unit.
Initial 7, 000 acres of privately owned pastoral land  Later conservancy
land increased to 10, 000 acres (donation from Kenya Wildlife Service).
Board of 9 drawn from the 22 family landowners and elected by the
families to govern the CBO on behalf of the families in respect to the
current organization’s bylaws.
Unachievable without the selfless contributions of a team of volunteers
drawn from the International Center for the Conservation of African
Rangelands (ICCAR (Philip) ) and The Friends of Cedar and Acacia (FCA
(Denis)) who granted their expertise and knowledge towards the successful
formation of the Enkusero Sampu Conservancy .
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To sustainably manage the natural, cultural,
historical and other heritage resources that lie within
Enkusero Sampu Conservancy land and its
surroundings.
This process is achieved through sound operational
guidelines, policies and community strategies.
This is done so that the unique, vulnerable, valuable
and sensitive environmental assets of ESC are
conserved for the benefit of future generations to
come.
Our primary objective is:
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Primary objective of ESC is to establish a brand that will appeal to the educational,
scientific, leisure, corporate, sports and adventure markets as well as preserving
the unique Maasai culture in a pristine natural wildlife habitat.
Our specific objectives include:
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Maintaining biological connectivity between the Hells Gate National Park,
Shompole Conservancy, Kidong Ranch, Mt. Suswa Conservancy, Mosiro,
Olkiramatian Group Ranch, The Ngong Hills Forest, Nairobi National Park and
other important biological corridors
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Creating a buffer ecological zone for the Nairobi National Park.
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Conserving the Sampu wildlife habitat and vulnerable species through a special
human-wildlife co-existence program to protect local biodiversity.
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Developing livelihoods of Sampu community members through improved basic
infrastructure, livestock and other social enterprises.
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Promoting sustainable development in local communities of the Olooruka and
Olesakut ecosystems through partnerships in ecotourism, education and research.
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Developing and sustaining archaeological and historical sites inside the
conservancy.
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ESC is located in Kajiado County, south of Nairobi in the former Rift Valley
province at the foot of the famous Ngong Hills. Administratively, the 10,000 acre
conservancy lies in the South West of greater Ngong Division stretching in an area
of approximately 20 sq Kms. It borders Oltepesi near Oloorgersalie and Mosiro . It
is strategically important to the Nairobi National Park and Ngong hills forest as a
conservation buffer zone. It is about an hour’s drive from Nairobi City Centre
passing through Lang’ata road and joining magadi road where it goes further past
Rongai, Kiserian and Corner Baridi. It lies on the opposite side of Olepolos
Country Club.
The Ngong Hills Forest is 26 kilometres from the Nairobi Central business District
and is one of the few forests in the world located within a city. Its location is at the
north-eastern tip of Kajiado County in Ngong division which is in close proximity
to Ngong town. The hill forest is a dry mundane forest, and hence provides a biogeographic link between the larger mountainous region in central Kenya (Mount
Kenya and Aberdare’s ranges) and the other large mountains in Northern
Tanzania (Mount Meru, Kilimanjaro).
Nairobi National Park on the other hand is a unique ecosystem that is famed of
being the only protected area in the world within a capital city. The park is located
only 7 km from Nairobi city centre and is only an hour drive away from Enkusero
Sampu Conservancy along the Nairobi – Magadi road. The park provides an
inspirational partnership to the conservancy as the reference point in management
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Sampu has a long list of supporters and well wishers but there is
nothing more that prides the conservancy than the spirit of its
senior staff who volunteered their skills and time towards
conservation of our magnificent ecosystem. We thank them for
their efforts in making the Enkusero Sampu Conservancy a
success story in community conservation.
The following is our management staff:
Paul Kilelu – General Manager
Denis Marangu – Operations Manager (Volunteer)
Noreen Mutoro – Conservation Officer (Volunteer)
Koitamo Rampei-Community liason/Admin
Juliet Kariuki –Volunteer/Probono
We currently have 3 (three) conservancy rangers being trained at
the Kenya Wildlife Services rangers training school at Law
Enforcement Academy (Manyani ). The rangers are expected to
KWS
Bush Trucker Safaris
SORALO
Village Level Ecotourism
Development Program
Ecotourism Kenya
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Laure Dillon - Hawai Shell Vacations
Eli Wise - Weldize Foundation
Paul Melau Melonyie – Ongata Academy
George Kariuki - Kiki Investments
Heather Wilky-Village Level Ecotourism
Development Program