By Caroline Kimeu

NAIROBI -- A Kenyan court dismissed a lawsuit by a Maasai leader who sought to demolish a Ritz-Carlton luxury safari camp, alleging it blocked a key route of the famous Serengeti migration.

The court this week sided with Marriott International, owner of the Ritz-Carlton brand, the Kenyan camp's owner-operator Lazizi Mara and the Kenyan government over Meitamei Olol Dapash, who brought the lawsuit.

Dapash, an elder of the Maasai ethnic group and head of the Maasai Environmental Resource Coalition, had argued the new camp stands at a critical point on the Sand River where wildebeest and zebra cross as they move from Tanzania's Serengeti National Park to Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve and adjacent conservancies in search of grass.

The owner of the Ritz-Carlton camp, which charges upward of $3,500 per guest per night during peak season, denied the allegations, saying it had secured necessary approvals from Kenyan authorities.

"We remain committed to full environmental compliance, responsible stewardship, and constructive engagement with regulatory authorities and local stakeholders," Lazizi Mara said after the court announced its decision.

In her ruling, the judge said Dapash should have taken the dispute to an environmental tribunal before going to court. She also ruled he hadn't provided enough initial evidence to justify an order halting the camp's operations, while Lazizi Mara had presented the required environmental licenses and proof that it had consulted with the Maasai community about the development.

Dapash didn't respond to requests for comment on the ruling.

In response to questions, Marriott issued a statement Saturday saying it "is committed to integrity, transparency, and respect for the environments and communities in which hotels under our brand operate.

Dapash himself had attempted to withdraw the lawsuit in December, citing ongoing talks with the developers. However, the court said the case touched on matters of public interest and should continue to play out.

Lazizi Mara also asked for the case to proceed, saying it would give the camp a chance to reverse the reputational damage it had suffered amid online furor over the suit.

Tensions between development and conservation have been growing in the Maasai Mara, where the number of camps and lodges, many built along scenic rivers, has nearly doubled over the past decade.

Kenyan authorities introduced a 2023 moratorium on new construction in response to concerns over poorly regulated development in the 580-square-mile reserve. However, the government granted the Ritz-Carlton camp an exemption from the directive, calling the move necessary to attract investors.

Supporters of the development say it generates jobs and tax revenue, while conservationists fear the developments may stifle the very spectacle hundreds of thousands of tourists visit to see each year.

Write to Caroline Kimeu at caroline.kimeu@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 28, 2026 12:10 ET (17:10 GMT)

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