The Ogiek community from Bungoma County has called on the government to involve them in the management of the Mt Elgon National Park.
Speaking during the public participation on the amendment of the wildlife conservation and management act 2013 at Busia Agricultural Training Centre, the community led by Cosmas Murunga said they have stayed with the animals in the park for a long time without any human –wildlife conflicts.
“We want 50 percent of park management to be given to us as the community because we are the one staying with the animals. For many years that we have lived in this park, there is no one from our community which is the minority has been given an opportunity in the management of the park. This park has our shrines where we do our cultural activities. We have herbs that we get from the park. We should not be restricted instead we should be able to move freely,” he said
Murunga added that the community was also advocating for 50 percent resources share from revenue collected at the park
He further argued that the community should be given employment slots during recruitment of KWS officers every year stating that they have been protecting the animals in the park.
The community also proposed an increment on the fines that are pressed on those engaging in poaching, adding that the existing fine cannot help to protect wildlife as it is manageable by anyone who is found destroying wildlife.
“We have five youth who the community took for Training at Manyani and are the ones helping to protect the park and community. We want the government to help in paying these youths so that they can continue in protecting the park,” he said.
Busia County Beach Management Unit Network Chairman Sylvester Kaiga proposed that the local community be represented in the County Wildlife Compensation Committee adding that many people are suffering without being compensated due to complex procedures.
“We have had many cases where compensation does not reach the victims. Some victims are forced to wait for even seven years to receive compensation,” he said
Kaiga further said that there was a need to sensitize the local community on the procedure one should take when a case on wildlife and humans arise
Busia County Director of Tourism Inviolata Indubi proposed that the County Government be fully involved in the compensation processes and in the management of the parks.
“The county government should be allowed in the management of the parks. It should also be involved in compensation processes and the resolution of the human /wildlife conflicts. Decentralized and timely compensation mechanisms should be put in place to ensure that the affected people get justice on time,” she maintained.
Sellah Wanjala on the other hand proposed the establishment of Kenya Wildlife Services offices in the county so that the public can easily report any cases involving wild animals.
“We need to have a KWS office and not a satellite office. We have faced difficulties in reporting when we have conflicts between animals and humans. We have monkeys all over in our places but we don’t know where we can report and the primates are even terrifying our children,” Wanjala complained.
Busia County Boda boda Association chairman, Bonface Okumu stated that there was a need to recognize wild life conservation champions to motivate them.
The forum which brought together participants from Busia and Bungoma Counties is part of the ongoing countrywide public participation exercise organized by the State Department for Wildlife under the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife.
It aims among other objectives to align the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act (CAP 376) with the Constitution, particularly the roles and responsibilities of different levels of government, and to harmonize it with the National Wildlife policy 2020, the National Wildlife Strategy 2030 and other relevant policies.
By Salome Alwanda and Rodgers Omondi
