Kenya: Sh80million Rumuruti Forest Electric Fence to Stop Wildlife

Author(s)

The Star

Date Published
The Laikipia government will put up a fence around Rumuruti Forest.
 
Governor Joshua Irungu said the fence will prevent animals from straying into people’s farms and destroying property.
 
The project to be completed in three months will cost Sh80 million.
 
Irungu was speaking at Kiandege Secondary School on Monday where he launched construction of the fence that will run from Mahianyu to Rumuruti.
 
Last year, three people were killed when elephants strayed into people’s homes.
 
Crops and property worth millions of shillings were destroyed.
 
The cases are rampant in Rwathia, Kiandege, Thome, Kamwenje and Rumuruti.
 
“Farmers can now engage in their farming without fear of destruction of their crops,” Irungu said.
 
The governor said Sh25 million has been set aside to construct another electric fence around Laikipia Nature and Conservancy Ranch owned by conservationist Kuki Gallmann.
 
He said the fence will run from Kamwenje to Sossian.
 
“We have set this amount in the next financial year so that animals which stray from the conservancy can be protected. This is just but a start in our journey to fight human-wildlife conflict,” Irungu said.
 
Irungu was accompanied by Natural Resources executive John Bosco Ekale and other leaders.