• The Star's fact-check desk has established that whereas it is true that Paula moved to court over the Koroga Festival, she has not been banned from accessing the parks.
• Last week, a Nakuru court ruled against WildlifeDirect’s application for an injunction as well as a petition against KWS and the Naivasha Love Festival over the Koroga Festival.
A wildlife conservationist Paula Kahumbu has claimed that she was banned from entering Nairobi National Park.
But are these claims true?
The Star fact-check desk moved in to ascertain the authenticity of her claims.
On her social media pages, Kahumbu claimed that she was banned after her spirited campaign against KWS for having allowed the recent Koroga Festival to be held inside a protected area, the Hells Gate National Park.
Banned from the Kenyan parks will not stop me from fighting 4 them. Many ppl r asking how they can help. My message to you is GO TO THE PARKS ON MY BEHALF. Make ur visit public on social media, report to @kwskenya on the good, & the challenges. Show how much u care Pls RT.
— Dr. Paula Kahumbu (@paulakahumbu) February 19, 2020
"I have been waiting at the entrance of Nairobi Park for one hour - they will not sell me a ticket because, they say, there are issues to be sorted. No mention of what issues or with whom," she said.
This attracted various responses from her social media followers who sided with her side of the story.
Where it started
Last week, a Nakuru court ruled against WildlifeDirect’s application for an injunction as well as a petition against KWS and the Naivasha Love Festival over the Koroga Festival.
In the ruling, Justice Mutungi stated that the court did not have jurisdiction to hear the case.
This led to conservationists say the ruling was a great loss and injustice to wildlife and protected areas in Kenya.
Kahumbu, who is the Chief Executive Officer at WildlifeDirect after losing the case said, “Success is not winning a court case. Success is a thriving wildlife. It is a very sad day for Kenya and lovers of wildlife that the agency responsible for the conservation of wildlife has accepted Sh700,000 ($7000) despite the fact that the event imperils critically endangered species in an already degraded park.”
Later on, she went on Facebook and registered her disappointments openly.
"The court threw the case out on a technicality. Because of this ruling, KWS gets away with violating the law," she said.
"I am disappointed, very disappointed that the judge was so supportive of the event. I want to scream, punch and kick. Am I crazy?"
What are the findings?
The Star's fact-check desk has established that whereas it is true that Kahumbu moved to court over the Koroga Festival, she has not been banned from accessing the parks.
Director-General John Waweru's PA by the name Mark Kinyua told our teams on the ground that they are trying to fix an appointment for Kahumbu.
Kinyua, acknowledged that they had received a letter from Kahumbu about her being denied access.
"The DG has received an email from Kahumbu about the same, we will make an appointment with her and straighten out her issues." he said.
His sentiments were supported by KWS spokesman Paul Udoto who told the Star that they have not banned the conservationist.
"Ask her to share with you the evidence that she has been banned from the parks. I am not aware of any ban," Udoto said.
Thank you everyone for your solidarity and support. Having this conversation out on social media may seem assertive,...
Posted by Paula Kahumbu on Tuesday, 18 February 2020
"Paula has made the claim. KWS has not publicly accused her of anything yet. The burden of proving her claims lies on her," he added.
On reaching out to the vocal conservationist, she said when she arrived at the park's entrance on Tuesday with some visitors, she was denied access and told to clear with the DG.
She said she tried to reach out on the DG through phone but his line was not going through forcing them to leave after several hours of waiting.
"He was not even in the building. The staff asked me to wait. After an hour they asked me to call the DG. He didn’t answer. I told my friends to go ahead. The guide is embarrassed and ashamed. What is the point of this? I called others at KWS...You are joking...is what one of the senior staff said. What kind of Kenya do we live in?" she said.
"The press keep calling me and are asking a lot of questions. I suggest they call KWS as I can only re-state what happened. I have nothing in writing from KWS regarding why I have been barred from entering Nairobi Park," she added.
Verdict
Currently, there is no law that allows KWS to ban someone from accessing the park, however, only those that are deemed criminals, armed with weapons or potential poachers can be prevented from accessing the parks.
It is in the public domain that Kahumbu went to court over the cancellation of the festival.
A Nairobi Court sitting ruled that Kahumbu’s case was “baseless”, and ordered that organisers proceed with the mega-cultural entertainment event at Hells Gate National Park.
Kahumbu in her disappointment took the war to social media instead of seeking redress from an alternative court as she had been advised.
Secondly, the teams on the ground asked Kahumbu to provide any documents to back the claims that she had been banned, which she could not.
Instead, she said in the email sent to the DG, that she asked to be furnished with reasons behind the ban and formal documents for the same.
From reports gathered, the conservationist was only told for her to gain access at the entry, she needs to get a clearance from the DG.
The Star thus indicates the claims by Kahumbu are FALSE and MISLEADING as she has not sorted out whatever pending issues she has with the DG's office.
Such claims can only stand with all indications that whatever issues that are pending are sorted and that KWS has issued proper documentation to back the same.