Community members of El Adow village in Wajir South have accused armed groups from the neighbouring Somalia and refugees from the Dagahaley, Ifo and Hagardera camps of poaching.
The residents who spoke on Tuesday during a community sensitisation meeting are now calling on the government to either provide firearms to the local scouts or recruit police reservist to help in managing the situation.
Hassan Abdi, a community elder, said armed poachers were posing a great threat to their conservancy role, endangering both lives of the community scouts and the wildlife.
The poachers have been targeting giraffes which sources say not only have a readily available market but also fetch good money when sold.
“Recently, a giraffe was killed by armed poachers who came from the refugee camp, our community scouts who rushed to the scene after a tip off were almost killed by the armed poachers before Kenya Wildlife Service officers from Wajir town arrived and killed the poachers in a fierce exchange of firearm,” he said.
He urged the government to either provide firearms to the local scouts or recruit police reservist to stave off the threat posed by the armed poachers.
Mohamed Ismail similarly expressed the need to recruit the Kenya Police Reservist or empower the community scouts, since there is no police post near the village and the KWS security officers were in Wajir town.
Sharmarke Abdi Bile, the area chief, appealed to KWS to motivate scouts who trek long distance for surveillance to protect the endangered giraffe.
“This scouts risks their lives, they provide vital intelligence reports, they might be targeted by the armed poachers who make business from the game meat,” he said.
North Eastern Conservancy chairperson Jamal Mohamed lauded EL Adow residents for their determination to conserve the endangered reticulated giraffe commonly known as the Somali giraffe.
He encouraged them not to relent their efforts despite the security threats they voiced.
He highlighted how poaching, drought and increased human settlements were posing challenge to the reticulated giraffe.
The Wajir KWS senior warden Shariff Ahmed also appreciated the exemplary conservancy role by the community.
“Your conservancy activities need to be celebrated, the reticulated giraffe that are facing threats came here due to safety. We all have a role to play in ensuring we conserve our wildlife, especially the endangered species,” he said.
He cited how North Eastern was once a home for elephants but was wiped out by poachers from the neighbouring Somalia.
“This is a story that can only be told by those 50 years and above, that elephants used to roam everywhere in Wajir, today they are no more, it is now history, lets not allow a situation where the reticulated giraffe are also wiped out,” he said.
He encouraged the community to continue working closely with KWS to report suspected poachers.
Shariff warned that KWS officers will not hesitate to deal with the poachers who pose a threat to wildlife and the community scouts.
During the last wildlife census conducted in 2021, the number of the endangered reticulated giraffe in Wajir county was 1,120, a number that is likely to further decrease with the ongoing poaching.
