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{
    "id": 552026,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/552026/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 241,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "These communities have already sacrificed a lot to make sure that wildlife is conserved. Some of those parks have been attracting many tourists. So, these communities know the benefit of wildlife. When it comes to a situation where the KWS, whose work is being performed by these communities, is again kidnapping and killing human beings, then we fail to understand who is supposed to be assisting who. These communities have sacrificed a lot. They share what they have with wildlife and it is high time that the KWS realized that they need to plough back whatever benefits they get from wildlife conservation to these communities so that they can feel the benefits. In my own county, there are two national parks. One is the Sibiloi National Park where we normally have a lot of clashes with the KWS because when pastoralists are looking for pasture and it is only available in the park, they do not understand that at times, they need to open up the parks so that the communities can graze there because they have to survive. When it starts raining, they can move out of the parks. That way, they will recognize the importance of that conservation and protect the animals. We have had cases even in Sibiloi National Park where herdsmen were killed by the KWS without any evidence that these people killed animals. It was just the mere fact that they grazed their animals in the park because that is where there is grass; they were shot. This practice has been going on for a long time. Madam Temporary Speaker, the KWS should come up with development projects for the communities around the park, for example, schools and hospitals. That will endear the community to the conservation idea because they would know the benefits of the wildlife. They should get a share of what is generated from the wildlife conservation. That is what most conservancies are doing in Isiolo, Samburu and parts of Marsabit. The communities are the ones taking care of the animals and we have not had much in terms of poaching in those conservancies which are not manned by the KWS. I remember two years ago, we had a lot of problems because senior officers from my county and even parts of northern Kenya were being suspended from their work. These people have sacrificed their time. Some of them joined KWS as rangers and they have risen up the ranks to become assistant directors, but they are being sacrificed because somebody wants to take over the establishment because what they are doing is not in the interest of those who want to take over that system. That is what we have been going through. Already, we are getting disenfranchised as communities who are sacrificing their lives and their land for this wildlife. What is now happening is that communities around the park are being kidnapped and killed by the KWS. When people demonstrate because of what is being done to them, the same KWS comes out and shoots you. I wonder who is supposed to contain law and order in towns when people are demonstrating. Is it the Kenya Police or the KWS? How does KWS control a demonstrating crowd? That shows the kind of impunity which is practiced in some parts of this country where anybody who has had some training in the disciplined forces feels they can do anything to people in parts of this country. That is unfortunately what we have been going through. The earlier this kind of impunity is stopped, the better for us and wildlife because wildlife is not found in the densely populated areas in this country. If this is the kind of attitude the organization 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."
}