Maanzoni Estate is located in Machakos County’s Mavoko Municipality. The area is located within the Athi Kapiti plains and is well-known for being one of the last frontier areas where wildlife can be found in its natural habitat. However, over time, this natural habitat has changed due to anthropogenic effects and processes caused by human activities such as residential, industrial, mining, transportation, and farming. These development activities that have an impact on the coexistence of humans and wildlife, such as poaching and illegal hunting, have had a negative impact on the wildlife population in the area.
The Master Land Use Plan and Wildlife Conversancy Plan, which are currently being developed and implemented, will guide land use and wildlife management in the area. These plans will create new economic opportunities, such as ecotourism, by promoting the coexistence of human and wildlife activities. The engagement of stakeholders will be essential in plan preparation. Stakeholder engagement will take place in close collaboration with resident association officials, who will play a key role in the plan’s development. This project will take 12 months to complete.
To inform the development of the two management plans, the consultant will conduct an in-depth situational analysis within the eco-systems. To inform the development of this plan, both secondary and primary data will be gathered. Transect walks, behaviour observation, a literature review, questionnaire administration, key informant interviews, and observation will be used to collect data. It will be approved by the county government. The Master Plan’s approval will serve as the foundation for the Kenya Wildlife Services’ approval of the conservancy management plan (KWS).
Maanzoni Estate is a privately owned estate that spans 4,093 acres. It was subdivided into 718 plots of at least five acres each in 1994. The land use was low density, with only one dwelling residential unit per plot. Maanzoni estate is one of the few residential-wildlife estates within Nairobi’s urban area, providing a unique opportunity for wildlife-human coexistence.
The area was designated as a wildlife conservancy in the recently completed Mavoko Municipality Integrated Strategic Urban Development Plan (ISUDP) 2020-2030. In accordance with the ISUDP, the goal of this planning assignment will be to create a detailed master plan as well as a wildlife conservation management plan to guide land use, development, and wildlife management in the area.
