Kenyans honoured at Cites meeting

By Juma Kwayera

Two Kenyan game rangers were honoured, one of them post-humously, at the ongoing Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in Doha, Qatar, for their exemplary work in conservation.

John Laigwani and the late Joel Muga of Kenya Wildlife Service were the only ones in Africa to receive the 2010 Clark R Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award on Monday, two days after the 15th Cites conference got under way.

Muga, who served as a ranger until his untimely death, was posthumously honoured for repeatedly risking his life to protect wildlife. The ranger was ambushed and killed by poachers on December 25, last year, in Meru National Park.

Laigwani, a sergeant, was recognised for his dedication to protecting wildlife. "He successfully confronted elephant poachers and his actions led to the arrest of several gang members and the seizure of a large cache of weapons," read a KWS despatch from Doha in part.