NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 13 – Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku faces a possible six-month jail term after the High Court summoned him to appear on July 24 to answer contempt proceedings over allegations that he defied conservatory orders suspending the transfer of Amboseli National Park to the Kajiado County Government.
Justice Gregory Mutai certified as urgent a Notice of Motion dated July 9, 2026 and directed Governor Lenku and the other respondents to appear before the court for an inter partes hearing on July 24 at 10 am.
Pending the hearing, the court barred the Kajiado County Government, Governor Lenku and anyone acting under the county’s authority from “entering upon, invading, taking over, assuming control of, interfering with the operations or management of Amboseli National Park, or in any manner whatsoever implementing, or purporting to implement the Deed of Transfer dated 14th October 2025, in contravention of the conservatory orders issued by this Honourable Court in its Ruling delivered on 30th December, 2025.”
The contempt application was filed by rights activist Joseph Kasau Masaa, who argues that the county has acted in defiance of the court’s earlier conservatory orders that halted implementation of the park transfer.
The judge ordered that the application and court orders be served on all respondents and interested parties within three working days, after which they will have seven days to file their responses.
The parties were also granted leave to file skeleton submissions by 5 p.m. on July 23 ahead of the hearing.
The orders carry a penal notice warning that “any disobedience or non-observance of the order of the court served herewith will result in penal consequences to you and any other person(s) disobeying and not observing the same.”
If found guilty of contempt, Governor Lenku could face sanctions, including a jail term or other penalties as the court may determine.
The High Court has not made any finding of contempt, with the matter set for hearing on July 24.
