KWS Ranger Suspended for Killing Poacher

The Nation (Nairobi)
20 March 2003

Nation Reporter
Nairobi

A Kenya Wildlife Service ranger has been interdicted over the killing of a young man in Kinangop, Environment minister Newton Kulundu said.

Dr Kulundu, responding to a question by Mr Mwangi Waithaka (Kinangop, Narc), said Mr Stephen Mwangi was shot dead at the Aberdares National Park, when rangers found him carrying the carcass of an antelope.

Dr Kulundu, who was reading a ministerial statement, said Mr Mwangi was shot after he defied an order to surrender and attacked the rangers with a machette.

He admitted that rangers also killed a Mr James Kihumba at the park last September, when they confronted a group of 18 people "who were preparing to load 400 cedar posts on a vehicle".

The minister said Kihumba also attacked a ranger with a machette.

Mr Waithaka accused the rangers of using excessive force in both incidents, and demanded to know why they could not immobilise the poachers instead. The minister said investigations were being carried out to determine whether the rangers were at fault.

In another matter, Dr Kulundu said his ministry was working on plans to allow communities living around national parks to benefit from their proceeds.

Responding to a question by Mr Marsden Madoka (Mwatate, Kanu), he said the government had collected more than Sh1.2 billion from the Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks in the last five years.

He said more than Sh12 million had been invested in projects for the community by KWS.

Mr Madoka sought to know how much of this revenue had been set aside to benefit the community.

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