Honorary KWS wardens in Coast to help in conservation

The Kenya Wildlife Service has unveiled a team of honorary wardens to help with conservation, resource mobilisation and tourism promotion in the Coast region.

The honorary wardens drawn from Vanga to Kiunga who were gazetted last month, will serve for three years.

Speaking during an induction training, KWS acting director in charge of the Coast conservation area Lilian Ajuoga said the honorary warden underwent a rigorous selection process and were gazetted to help in conservation.

She said they were taken through the KWS Charter and their code of conduct which provides for their roles and powers.

“Some of the duties they are supposed to undertake include problem animal control, marketing activities to promote tourism in the Coast conservation area. They are also expected to assist in veterinary issues, to conduct conservation education, awareness creation and other duties,’ Ajuoga said.

The director said they would help them develop a performance planning matrix for one year that will be appraised after one year.

She said through that, there would be a structured way of operation and will work for a period of three years to help KWS achieve conservation goals.

“These honorary wardens have expertise in different fields, some of them are veterinary doctors, pilots, some are interested in tourism and others coastal forests conservation. So we have brought them on board  to tap in their expertise in conservation of wildlife," she said.

Ajuoga said some of them are good in resource mobilisation which will help raise funds for conservation.

The director said conservation of wildlife is an expensive affair and needs to get resources through marketing their parks and other activities that will make KWS sustainable.

She said the Coast conservation area has unique features such as the beautiful corals that need to be protected. 

Others are mangrove forests, mega fauna like dolphin and turtles which are threatened and require to be protected.

"We plan to diversify tourism products, rebrand our parks and also plan to work with the wardens to improve the infrastructure such as the roads, bandas  to improve the revenue which is low due to the effects of Covid-19 pandemic."

Ali Shebwana, Lamu county honorary warden, thanked KWS for allowing him to serve in the capacity since 2008.

“ I really appreciate both KWS and Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife for this appointment,” he said.

Shebwana promised to continue supporting KWS to ensure they execute the mandate. 

Andy Thomas who owns captain Andy company that supplies boats and other marine equipment in East Africa and Africa at large, is among those appointed to serve as honorary wardens for the first time and will serve in the Arabuko Sokoke forest area.

Thomas said he has been helping in conservation of the Arabuko Sokoke forest for the more than 10 years.

“Initially we supported on the water supply project for the elephants in Arabuko Sokoke forest after the electric fence was put in place in 2008. Then the water supply dried up so we assisted KWS to put water in there with support from Richard Leaky and KWS team,” he said.

He said they have been supporting KWS in provision of transport, vehicle maintenance, boat maintenance, supply of fence poles, equipment that electrifies fences to minimise human wildlife conflicts.

-Edited by SKanyara