Kiambu County could soon add conservation tourism to its economic profile after Tatu City Limited submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study to the National Environment Management Authority seeking approval to develop a wildlife sanctuary within its mixed-use master-planned development.
- •The proposed project would broaden Tatu City’s investment model from pure real estate into experience-led infrastructure anchored on tourism, conservation and hospitality.
- •According to the EIA study, the sanctuary would comprise wild habitat zones, a cultural museum, a pangolin rehabilitation centre, a safari lodge, adventure play areas, a café, a safari drive station, function space and supporting amenities including parking and perimeter fencing.
- •The concept effectively embeds a conservation estate within one of Kenya’s fastest-growing urban nodes, potentially repositioning Kiambu as a short-stay tourism extension of Nairobi.
Proximity to protected green zones and wildlife estates tends to lift property premiums, particularly in upper-income residential segments. For a master-planned city seeking to deepen occupancy and commercial activity, a safari lodge and function space also introduce recurring hospitality income streams that diversify revenue beyond land and property sales.
The EIA outlines extensive environmental safeguards designed to mitigate ecological and social risks. Vegetation clearance during construction would be limited to need-based removal, with enhanced replanting of indigenous species upon completion. Invasive plants such as eucalyptus and parthenium are earmarked for elimination, while new species would only be introduced if confirmed suitable for incoming wildlife.
A deliberate hydrology study has been proposed to manage surface and sub-surface water flows within the sanctuary and the broader Tatu City catchment. Drainage systems would be designed to protect the Kamiti River sub-basin, while natural drainage patterns would be maintained to the extent possible.
Wildlife integration measures will require mapping of existing habitats, rapid species counts and approval of new animal introductions by the Kenya Wildlife Service. The report also addresses potential human-wildlife conflict through perimeter fencing, designated corridors and isolation of residential areas from sanctuary operations.
On the social front, the developer proposes labour management safeguards including controlled workforce influx, enforcement of occupational health and safety standards, gender inclusion targets and prohibition of child labour.
If approved, the sanctuary could mark one of the most ambitious attempts yet to fuse real estate development with conservation-driven tourism in Kenya’s peri-urban corridor.
