The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has seven days to explain the increase in national park fees and the introduction of the new 8.5% gateway levy. This was decided by the Senate Committee on Trade, Industrialisation and Tourism, chaired by Kwale Senator Issa Boy Juma.
During Tuesday's session, the committee ordered the KWS to formally present the regulations to the Upper House and return to the senators on 27 November.
KWS Deputy Director General Erastus Kanja was heard to explain the reasons for the new costs, which have raised significant concerns in the tourism sector. Juma sought explanations for the increase in entry fees, the public consultation process adopted and why the agency would ignore a court injunction ordering the suspension of the new prices.
The senator also asked why KWS had introduced an 8.5% gateway levy, despite the fact that a maximum “convenience fee” of one dollar had already been established by law. Lawmakers also sought clarification on the new electronic payment system: tender documents, technical requirements and the reasons for switching from the eCitizen platform to an alternative system.
Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago pointed out that the law requires the Senate to be involved in this type of regulation and that KWS should have submitted them through the relevant minister. "We must follow the law. That is what the Senate is for," he said.
The issue has sparked protests from the tourism industry. On 6 November, a group of civil society and industry stakeholders demonstrated against the introduction of the new fees, also questioning why the costs continued to appear on the eCitizen platform despite their temporary suspension by the High Court in October 2025. This forced those who had already planned safaris to submit to the increased fees even though they were suspended.
The suspension remains in effect until 25 November, when a final decision on the appeal filed by the Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) is expected. It is unclear what will happen during those two days of transition.
The new fees and gateway levy are derived from the Wildlife Conservation and Management (Access, Entry, and Conservation) (Fees) Regulations 2025, approved by Parliament on 25 September.