Nairobi — LOCAL anti-poaching activists have called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to take leadership in the protection of rhinos and elephants from incessant poaching.
It appears the deaths of 14 rhinos and ten elephants this year alone inspired the appeal.
The animals have been killed by poachers targeting the animals for ivory.
The continued poaching in the country, even after the enactment of the new anti-poaching laws, indicates that the laws have done little to deter the poachers from the vice.
The Wildlife and Conservation Act sets a maximum life imprisonment or a fine of Sh20 million for poachers.
Wildlife Direct Chief Executive Officer, Paula Kahumbu, challenged the President to declare the poaching of rhinos and elephants as a national disaster and make it his business to see to it that the vice was eradicated.
She said there would be progress if the President did so.
“The President has to put his name on this issue and direct his security instruments to report to him regularly on the progress,” she said.
Another activist, Alex Awiti, the Director of East Africa Institute said that it is a shame for Kenyans to do nothing as their wildlife heritage quickly gets eroded.
“It is a shame for us to lose our wildlife to poaching that has been bequeathed on us as a heritage,” said Awiti.
Poaching has in the recent past received significant focus.
The British government recently hosted an international conference on the illegal trend, estimated to be worth more than $10.9 billion a year.
Prince Charles attended the conference which was publicized as dedicated to fighting the “unprecedented wildlife slaughter going on in Africa.”
Asia has been said to be the destination of ivory from Africa.
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