One killed as Kenya Wildlife Service rangers, locals clash

A violent clash between residents of Kinna and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) rangers has left a person dead and 11 others wounded.

The confrontation took place after 300 locals armed with crude weapons marched to the KWS camp on the border of Bisanadi and Meru game parks to protest the alleged arrest of three herders by the rangers yesterday.

The trio were reportedly seized by the rangers while riding on a motorbike near Duse, along the Kinna-Garba-Tula road on Monday last week.

According to the residents, the three were nabbed by the rangers over allegations of poaching.

The crowd, which included youth and women, claimed KWS officers had killed more than 14 people. Rangers at the camp were forced to fire in the air to keep off the charging crowd, and it took the reinforcement of more rangers from Meru to disperse the demonstrators.

Garba-Tula OCPD Paul Kiprono confirmed the death and injuries, adding that the crowd destroyed the KWS fence and also burnt down the camp. Kinna Ward MCA Adan Ali insisted KWS knows about the whereabouts of the herders and demanded it produces them.