In a bid to increase its resource mobilization and tourism promotion at the Coast, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has unveiled a team of honorary wardens to take part in conservation efforts, resource mobilization, and tourism promotion in the region. – By Ramadhan Kambi.
The honorary wardens drawn from Vanga to Kiunga who were gazette last month shall serve in their capacity for three years.
KWS Acting director in charge of the coastal conservation area Lilian Ajuoga speaking during induction training said the honorary warden underwent a rigorous selecting process and was gazette to help KWS in conservation works.
She said they were taken through the KWS Charter, their code of conduct which provides for their responsibility roles and powers.
According to her, the wardens were taken through the conservation management act Cap 2013 which they need to familiarizes themselves with while in their duties.
“Some of the duties include problem animal control, marketing activities to promote tourism in the Coast conservation area. They are also expected to assist in vetinary issues, to conduct conservation education, awareness creation and other duties,” she said.
Ms Ajuoga said they would help them develop a performance planning matrix for one year that will be appraised after one year.
“There would be a structured way of operation and shall work for a period of three years to help KWS achieve conservation goals,” she added.
Further, she said that the wardens were taken through the KWS strategy for 2019- 2024 which is a plan that entails three strategic pillars, objectives, and strategies that will be implemented.
“These honorary wardens are expertise in different fields, some of them are veterinary doctors, Pilots some of them are interested in tourism, coastal forests conservation so we have brought all the honorary wardens on board so that we can be able to tap in their expertise in the conservation of wildlife,” she said.
Ms. Ajuoga said conservation of wildlife is an expensive affair and needs to get resources through marketing their parks by and other activities that will make KWS sustainable.
The Coast conservation area has unique features such as the beautiful corals that need to be protected and the organization will use some of the honorary wardens to protect them.
Others are mangrove forests, megafauna like dolphins, and turtles which are threatened that require to be protected.
“We plan to diversify tourism products, rebrand our parks and also plan to work with honorary wardens to improve the infrastructure such as the roads, bandas so as to improve the revenue which is very low due to the effects of covid 19 pandemic,” she added.
Mr. Ali Shebwana, an honorary warden from Lamu county thanked the KWS for allowing him to serve in the capacity since 2008.
“After this renewal, I really appreciate both KWS and Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife for this appointment,” he said.
Mr. Shebwana promised to continue supporting KWS to make sure they execute the mandate given under wildlife management act 2013,” he said.
Mr. Andy Thomas who owns captain Andy company that supplies boats and other marine equipment in East Africa and Africa at large is among those appointed to serve as honorary wardens for the first time to serve in the Arabuko Sokoke forest area,
Thomas said he has been helping in the conservation of the Arabuko-Sokoke forest for more than 10 years.
“Initially we supported on the water supply project for the elephants in Arabuko Sokoke forest after the electric fence was put in place in about 2008 and then the water supply dried up so we assisted KWS to put water in there with support from Richard Leaky and KWS team,” he said.
He said they have been supporting KWS in the provision of transport, vehicle maintenance, boat maintenance, supply of fence poles, equipment that electrifies fences to minimize human-wildlife conflicts.
