No Free Entry To Lake Nakuru National Park On September 27: KWS Announces

Kenyans planning to take advantage of the free entry to national parks this weekend will have to scratch Lake Nakuru National Park off their list.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has announced that there will be no free entry to Lake Nakuru on Saturday, September 27, despite its inclusion in the highly publicized free access initiative.

"Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) wishes to provide an update on the free entry to National Park, Reserves and Sanctuaries earlier communicated through the Public Notice dated 23rd September 2025," KWS stated in part.

"The public is hereby notified that there shall be no free entry to Lake Nakuru National Park, tomorrow Saturday, 27th September 2025."

Entrance to Lake Nakuru National Park. /FACEBOOK.MUHAMMED YOUSUF

KWS added that only visitors with prepaid eCitizen tickets will be allowed in, and they can only use the Nderit Gate between 6:00 am and 6:00 pm. The main Flamingo Gate and Lanet Gate will remain closed for the day.

KWS, however, did not reveal the reasons behind the scrapping of the national park from the list of the parks included in the free entry offer, which still stands for all other KWS-managed national parks, reserves, and sanctuaries across the country — including crowd favorites like Amboseli, Hell’s Gate, and Chyulu Hills.

"The public is further advised that all other KWS-managed National Parks, Reserves, and Sanctuaries across the country shall remain open and accessible tomorrow, Saturday, 27th September 2025, under the free entry initiative for Kenyan citizens," added the statement.

KWS has urged visitors to strictly observe park rules and regulations during their visits.

It is believed that KWS's decision to exclude Lake Nakuru from the free-entry program was informed by logistical challenges, but likely an attempt to avoid reigniting protests linked to unresolved grievances, particularly the case of Brian Odhiambo.

Before the announcement, Odhiambo's family appealed to Kenyans to join in the search for their kin, taking advantage of the free entry initiative. "When you come to Nakuru on the 27th, come in large numbers to help us look for our son," Odhiambo's mother urged in a video released on social media platforms.

Odhiambo, a 31-year-old fisherman, disappeared on January 18, 2025, after being arrested by KWS rangers for illegal fishing inside Lake Nakuru National Park.

Witnesses alleged he was beaten unconscious during the arrest in the Vietnam area and later seen loaded into a KWS vehicle. His body surfaced in the lake a month later, sparking suspicions of a cover-up.

Court testimony from fellow fishermen indicated Odhiambo was unresponsive in the rangers’ vehicle and was never booked at Bondeni Police Station, unlike others arrested that day.

Although officers claimed he escaped, six rangers — Francis Wachira, Alexander Lorogoi, Isaac Ochieng, Michael Wabukala, Evans Kimaiyo, and Abdulrahman Suli — were later interdicted and charged with abduction. They deny killing him.

The case has become a flashpoint over alleged KWS brutality against local fishermen, who accuse rangers of using excessive force to enforce the fishing ban.

Odhiambo’s death triggered violent protests in January 2025, with locals torching parts of the park fence and demanding justice.