𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐢 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲, 𝐊𝐖𝐒 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨
By Samuel Seki, Senator
Today, I met local pastoralists who have been adversely affected by the unfortunate move by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) using unnecessary force to drive out livestock from the Tsavo East National Park.
At this time of calamitous drought, it is understandable that some livestock may stray into the national park.
Wild animals have also been straying from national parks into private farms owned by the Maasai community, sometimes causing destruction to property, serious injury, and even death.
While the Maasai community has been tolerant of the wildlife straying into private property, KWS has acted ruthlessly when the reverse is the case.
I personally witnessed a chopper belonging to the agency being used in the operation, resulting in injuries to livestock and herdsmen seeking to recover the animals from the park.
Maasai herders have also complained about illegal detention for days on end by KWS officers.
This situation cannot be allowed to continue. Maasai leaders take great exception to the impunity being displayed by KWS.
If KWS wants to deal harshly with the livestock belonging to our people outside the confines of the law, they must tell us how they want us to similarly deal with wild animals straying into our farms.
As the senator for Kajiado County, I call upon the Director General of KWS to personally provide direction in this serious matter before it gets out of hand.
I also call upon the Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage to look into the matter, especially at this time when many Maasai have lost their livestock that is their sole means of livelihood.
