Pastoral communities in Taveta Constituency want the Kenya Wildlife Service to allow them to graze their livestock in Tsavo West National Park during drought seasons.
In a petition presented to the National Assembly by area MP John Bwire, the petitioners from Mata and Challa wards bordering the park said they depend entirely on livestock keeping as their source of livelihood.
They stated that in 2021 and 2022, then President Uhuru Kenyatta declared the drought a national disaster and proceeded to issue a directive to the National Treasury and Ministry of Interior to assist affected households by providing water, relief food and livestock uptake.
The petitioners alleged that through their leadership, they engaged KWS over the devastating effects of drought and sought permission to graze and water their animals in the park.
“The request was declined on grounds that KWS was yet to make guidelines for accessing the park,” the petition reads in part.
The petitioners claimed KWS officers have been arresting grazers who access the park, detaining their animals and arraigning them in courts, “sometimes without the knowledge of their relatives.”
“The officers have also been remanding the grazers in custody for offences under Section 102(2A) of the Kenya Wildlife Act notwithstanding the provisions of Article 49(2) of the Constitution that a person shall not be remanded in custody for an office if the offence is punishable by a fine only or by imprisonment for not more than six months,” they claimed.
They said actions by KWS officers violate grazers’ rights to fair administrative action, right to access justice and right to a fair trial.
They added that efforts to resolve the matter through KWS and relevant authorities have not resulted in a satisfactory response.
The petitioners prayed that the National Assembly through the Public Petitions Committee recommend guidelines to allow grazers to access the park during drought.
They further want the House to call for investigations into the actions of KWS and recommend necessary steps including stopping the detaining of livestock without express orders from the courts.
The petitioners also want KWS barred from detaining grazers until requisite guidelines are developed by the respective ministry.
