Wajir South MP condemns relocation of orphaned giraffes to Nanyuki
The removal, he said, was carried out without any consultation or consent from local authorities, wildlife experts, or residents who had been part of their care and protection.
Wajir South Member of Parliament Mohammed Adow condemned what he described as a secret and unlawful relocation of two orphaned giraffes from Wajir to a private sanctuary in Nanyuki by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
In a statement issued on behalf of the leadership and people of North Eastern Kenya, the legislator said the two giraffes, which had been orphaned after losing their mother, were being cared for by members of the local community and conservation volunteers in Wajir.
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The removal, he said, was carried out without any consultation or consent from local authorities, wildlife experts, or residents who had been part of their care and protection.
Mohammed said that the action by KWS went against conservation principles and violated the rights of communities who have, for years, taken an active role in protecting wildlife in the region.
According to him, the decision to move the animals from their natural environment was taken secretly and did not involve any stakeholder engagement or communication.
“No stakeholder was engaged in this decision: not local leaders, conservation experts, or the communities who have been on the frontline of wildlife protection,” the MP said. “This act undermines trust and disregards the essential role that communities play in safeguarding wildlife.”
Mohammed said the community in Wajir had provided care and security for the giraffes since they were rescued, and that their removal without approval or participation from locals was both a legal and moral violation.
He said that conservation in Kenya must not be centralised or imposed on communities but should instead recognise the role of local people who live alongside wildlife and bear the cost of protecting it.
The MP demanded the immediate return of the two giraffes to Wajir County, saying that the community had a right to continue taking part in their care and to benefit from conservation activities conducted within their area.
He also called for full transparency and accountability from KWS regarding the decision-making process and the involvement of any private sanctuaries or entities that may have benefited from the relocation.
He added that there must be a moratorium on any further translocation of wildlife from Northern Kenya unless there is formal consultation and consent from the affected counties and communities.
He called for an inclusive national framework for wildlife management that recognises community participation, ownership, and benefit-sharing.
“This is not conservation. It is betrayal,” he said. “True conservation must be community-centred, transparent, and lawful. Our people have shown unwavering commitment to protecting wildlife in harsh and challenging conditions. We will continue to do so, but we will not allow our wildlife to be removed for the benefit of others.”
The KWS on Monday successfully relocated the two reticulated giraffes from Wajir to the Nanyuki Range Park as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen wildlife conservation and protection measures.
The move, according to KWS, followed expert assessments that concluded the giraffes’ continued presence in Wajir put them at risk due to close human contact, increasing poaching threats, and habitat encroachment.
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