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{
    "id": 472114,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/472114/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 89,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kivuti",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 55,
        "legal_name": "Lenny Maxwell Kivuti",
        "slug": "lenny-kivuti"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I stand to issue a Statement with regard to the request posed by Sen. Kittony who sought to know the number of rhinoceros and elephants that have been killed so far, the state and the measures that the Ministry has put in place to arrest wildlife poaching, in particular the poaching of elephants and rhinos which has continued to sky rocket; the number of Sitatungas that are still alive in the country and explain why the Ministry in conjunction with the county governments has not established the Country Wildlife Conservation and Compensation committees as provided for in the Wildlife Conservation Management Act, 2013 and when the Ministry is planning to establish the Country Wildlife Conservation and Compensation committees in all the 47 counties and finally, why poaching has not been declared a national disaster. As an overview, illegal wildlife trade, poaching and encroachment of wildlife protected areas and destruction of wildlife habitat are some of the security challenges posing a threat to wildlife conservation and management efforts in the country. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is working to enforce existing laws and treaties protecting wildlife and has continued to carry out its mandate of protecting Kenya’s biodiversity by eliminating poaching within protected areas and reducing it to a bare minimum outside protected areas. The demand and price of ivory and rhino horn in the illicit market continues to drive poaching. Growing affluence and economic growth in East and South East Asia has increased demand for wildlife products. In addition, the decision of the one off sale of elephant ivory by Southern African countries in 2007 and the urge for sale of ivory stock piles haunts wildlife security in Kenya and beyond. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in answer to the questions sought by Sen. Kittony, I would like to answer as follows: On the number of rhinos and elephants killed, I wish to state that from the beginning of the year up to 25th June, 2014, there has been a gradual decline in elephant and rhino poaching particularly in major hotspots in the country where 103 elephants and 22 rhinos were poached compared to 165 and 26 elephants and rhinos respectively in the same period in 2013. This shows 38 per cent and 15.4 per cent decline in both elephant and rhino poaching countrywide, respectively. On the question of the measures taken by the Ministry to arrest poaching of elephants and rhinos, the Ministry has been strictly implementing the Rhino Strategic Plan of 2012 to 2017 and the Elephants Strategic Plan of 2012 to 2022. These strategic plans were launched in the wake of global escalations in wildlife poaching. The Ministry The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}