KWS asked to build dams in national park

By JOSEPH MASHA 

Leaders in Ganze District have challenged the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to construct dams in the Tsavo West National Park.

This, they say, is to contain wildebeest and conflicts with human beings in settlement areas as they search for water.

The challenge was made yesterday after Ganze District Commissioner Ibrahim Diba admitted that wildebeest from the national park sneak into areas occupied by people causing danger to human life and destruction of crops.

“Acute shortage of water in the national park has forced wild animals like elephants and buffaloes to sneak out of the area and stray into zones inhabited by people as they search for water and food,” said Mr Diba.

Local residents warned they would arm themselves with weapons and track down a herd of ten elephants that killed a woman and injured another in Kavunzoni village.

Mitangani Ward Councillor Daniel Mangi supported the residents’ idea to hunt and kill the elephants.

 “I join my people in Mitangani in their plans to arm themselves with crude weapons including bows and arrows to shoot the elephants, which have been causing problems to our people so that we can push KWS officers to take their duty seriously and confine the beasts in their restricted zones,” said Mr Mangi.

Mangi said KWS seems to value wild animals more than human beings and said the people will protect their crops and lives by arming themselves.

“Kenyans will not sit back and watch fellow citizens losing their lives following attacks by wild animals who are more valued by the Government than human beings; they will hunt and kill them,” said Mangi.

The civic leader further urged KWS to ensure the family of the dead woman was compensated according to the KWS rate.

On the other hand, however, Diba cautioned the residents against taking the law into their hands and killing wild animals, saying officers had been taken to the area to drive them back to the park.

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