The Kenyan Senate has directed the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to explain the recent hike in national park fees and the introduction of an 8.5% gateway levy. The Senate Committee on Trade, Industrialisation, and Tourism, chaired by Kwale Senator Issa Boy Juma, gave KWS seven days to submit the regulations and appear before the committee on November 27.
The committee met with KWS Deputy Director General Erastus Kanja to discuss growing concerns in the tourism sector regarding the new charges. Senator Juma questioned why the fees were increased, how public participation was carried out, and why KWS ignored a court order suspending the charges.
An additional concern raised was the introduction of the 8.5% gateway levy, despite a gazetted maximum convenience fee of one dollar. Lawmakers also demanded clarity on KWS’s shift from the eCitizen platform to a new e-pay system, requesting details such as tender documents and system requirements.
Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago emphasized the importance of adhering to legal processes, noting that regulations affecting public fees must involve the Senate. “It is important that we follow the law. There is a reason why the Senate exists,” he stated.
The fee adjustments have sparked criticism from tourism stakeholders, who held a protest on November 6 against the new charges. Concerns were raised over why the new rates and gateway fees were still being processed on the eCitizen platform, despite being temporarily suspended by a court in October 2025. The suspension followed a petition from the Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) and remains in effect pending a final decision on November 25.
The contested charges fall under the Wildlife Conservation and Management (Access, Entry, and Conservation) (Fees) Regulations of 2025, which Parliament approved on September 25. The Senate’s directive underscores the need for transparency, legal compliance, and public participation in matters affecting tourism revenue and national park access.
