Kajiado leaders take on KWS over Tsavo, Chyulu fencing row

Kajiado South MP Samuel Parashina has issued a stern warning to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) amid a fresh standoff between the agency and a section of Kajiado County leaders over the ongoing fencing of Tsavo West and Chyulu National Parks.

The MP cautioned that if KWS ignores the concerns of local communities and proceeds with the fencing project without adequate public participation and consultations, frustrated pastoralists may resort to killing roaming wildlife to protect their lives, livestock, and land.

‘’... if the fence is not removed, come with your people, bring trucks, and load all your wild animals and take them away, and you stay there while we remain in our land," he said.

The issue has sparked widespread protests among residents, who argue that they bear the greatest burden of human-wildlife conflict, including loss of lives, destruction of crops, and damage to property, yet receive inadequate compensation and limited benefits from conservation efforts.

Following pressure from MP Parashina and planned community demonstrations, KWS Director-General Prof. Erustus Kanga agreed to temporarily suspend the fencing exercise. Both parties, alongside local leaders, are currently engaged in discussions aimed at developing a conservation plan that takes into account the interests and concerns of the affected communities.

Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku has also criticized the ongoing fencing of Tsavo West and Chyulu Hills National Parks, warning that the move could worsen human-wildlife conflict by restricting wildlife movement and trapping dangerous animals within community lands.

"When Maasais were given Amboseli National Park, they set aside millions of acres to create wildlife corridors to connect Amboseli to Chyulu, Amboseli to Tsavo and Amboseli to Kilimanjaro Heartland in Tanzania, to create a roaming space for our wildlife," Mr Lenku said.

Governor Lenku noted that communities bordering Chyulu and Tsavo currently host a significant population of wildlife within their private ranches and communal lands.

The governor further urged residents not to take the law into their own hands, but instead to remain calm and allow the relevant authorities to address the matter through dialogue and consultation in pursuit of a lasting solution.