Over 50 Kenyan conservationists picked as honorary wardens

Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Regional Development Authorities Cabinet Secretary Professor Judi Wakhungu(left) with Kenya Water Towers Agency (KWTA) Chairman Isaac Kalua during the official launch of the KWTA strategic plan and status report.All water catchment areas will soon be issued with title deeds by the government.[PHOTO: ANGELA MAINA/STANDARD]

Environment and Natural Resources Cabinet Secretary Judi Wakhungu has appointed more than 50 Kenyan conservationists as honorary wardens.

The honorary wardens, charged with further championing the conservation of Kenya’s flora and fauna, will serve for three years by way of raising awareness on importance of wildlife conservation. They will be Kenya’s wildlife ambassadors and help raise funds to keep the country’s national parks thriving.

Among those gazetted include Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala, Muhoho Kenyatta and Adriano Ghirardello. Muhoho is President Uhuru Kenyatta’s younger brother.

He is the Executive Chairman of Brookside Dairy and the Deputy Chairman of Commercial Bank of Africa and is thought to be the head of the Kenyatta business empire.

Others on the list include Isaac Kalua, renowned conservationist Kuki Gallmann who was a few months ago shot and wounded by an organised gang of gunmen on the Laikipia Nature Conservancy and Paula Kahumbu, co-founder of conservation group Wildlife Direct.

“I will use my wide networks to raise awareness on the need to conserve our diversity in nature. Kenyans owe it to future generations to exploit our natural resources in a way that prolongs life and raises quality of life,” said Dr Kalua.

Kalua is a forester and founder of Green Africa Foundation, a non-governmental organisation.

Honorary wardens are not expected to be in the parks on a daily basis but play a huge role in raising the profile of wildlife conversation and pooling resources.