Anxiety grips Kenya Wildlife Service ahead of restructuring

Anxiety is high at the Kenya Wildlife Service ahead expected changes following the inauguration of a new board of directors.

Reports of job cuts and early retirement of senior officers at the state corporation as part of restructuring exercise aimed at improving services.

Already the post of Director General ,which is currently held by William Kiprono in an acting capacity, has been advertised.

Kiprono was plucked from the provincial administration in 2012 by former President  Mwai Kibaki following the unexpected exit of Dr Julius Kipng'etich and has been acting since the new Wildlife Law came into force last year.

Sources privy with what is going on at the State parastatal said among the departments to be affected in the coming reforms include finance, security, those in acting capacity and communications.

The board of directors which was inaugurated last month chaired by environmentalist and former director Richard Leakey announced the search for a new director general who shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Service.

The successful candidate will also be responsible for the day to day management of the affairs of the Service, overall leadership, implementation of the Service's strategic goals and the management of its resources including giving direction and leadership to the achievement of the Service's mission, the development of its strategy and the attainment of its annual goals and objectives and should have at least fifteen (15) years' working experience in a relevant profession.

"There are reports that a certain group of people are being targeted and we dont know what rationale will be used to determine those who will be let go," said a senior officer who sought anonymity.

Among those who could face the possible exit, The Standard as learnt are wardens and rangers who had been implicated with cases of poaching in the past but were later returned back to the service after they were cleared of wrong doing.

Last year, 32 rangers were suspended  but 18 were dismissed following persistent poaching.They were accused of colluding with poachers to kill elephants and rhinos for trophies.

Speaking to The Standard, Kiprono denied any witch-hunting challenging employees at the parastatal to take advantage and apply for any vacancy announced.

"It is true we are restructuring but this is not targeting anybody.It will help the service improve since most officers are serving in acting capacities.I urge every employee to take the exercise positively," he said.

Meanwhile, a joint security operation team comprising of officers from Kenya Wildlife Service and the National Police Service yesterday morning impounded a lorry ferrying two tonnes of the endangered sandalwood species.

The occupants, a man and woman were arrested .

The officers laid an ambush along the Kiserian-Magadi road in Kajiado County after getting a tip-off from the public. They flagged down the lorry and made and, on searching it, found the wood weighing about two tonnes with a street value of Sh2 million.