Taita Taveta residents clash with KWS over community shrine

Tourists on holiday at Tsavo West National Park. Residents of Maktau want an electric fence that was constructed to minimise human-wildlife conflict rerouted so that they can regain access to their traditional shrines. [File, Standard]

The fencing off of community shrines in Maktau, Taita Taveta, is to blame for the devastating drought in the county, elders have claimed.

The elders and local leaders told Environment and Natural Resources Principal Secretary Margaret Mwakima that it has become impossible for them to gain access to the shrines to perform important traditional rites and rituals since the fighi, as the shrines are known locally, have been cut off after KWS fenced the area.

The PS recently commissioned the 70km Maktau-Kishushe-Ndii electric fence financed by the Government and donors. The fence, which cost Sh105 million, aims to minimise human-wildlife conflict.

Josephat Mgendi, an elder in Maktau ward, pleaded with Dr Mwakima to intervene and have the course of the fence changed.

He said many misfortunes had befallen the community since the shrines were interfered with as rainmakers have no place to offer sacrifices.

The elder told the PS that the Tsavo West National Park boundary had been irregularly extended, leading to the alienation of the Maktau and Irima shrines.

Mr Mgendi demanded that the Maktau-Ndii fence be readjusted so that the shrines are returned to the community.

Also alienated was community grazing land and Mudanda Rock game reserve that was initially under the management of the local residents.

“The alienation was done without the consent of the community,” he told Mwakima at Maktau Secondary School in Mwatate.

“We’re being denied access to the shrines, which we used to induce rain, among other things. We had our traditional ways of managing drought and usually came up with mitigation measures. Because of this, the community never suffered hunger, as is now the case,” Mgendi said.

He added: “The community used to slaughter sheep and eat parts of it while the rest was left in the bush to appease the spirits of the ancestors,” he said.

The PS challenged the community to abandon ‘retrogressive’ cultural beliefs.

“I will send a KWS officer to look into the matter but for the time being depend on God who will address your problems. With God everything is possible,” Mwakima told the local community.

The chairman of Oza Group Ranch, Pristone Mwazighe, complained that the fence had affected patrols by ranch personnel on the side that borders the park.

“They have fenced off part of the ranch and it has become difficult to patrol the ranch,” he told the PS.

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