Poachers face life sentences after years of hide-and-seek

An elephant killed by poachers. The government plans to keep poachers behind bars for life. PHOTO/FILE 

By FRANCIS MUREITHI

In Summary

• A Bill to that effect is in the offing and should it go through the criminals will face full force of the law.
• Poaching is now classified as an economic crime.
• The government plans to recruit more rangers and has deployed crack anti-poaching units in areas prone to poaching such as Voi, Isiolo and Narok.

The hide and seek game with poachers is increasingly becoming dangerous, the government has declared and now plans to keep the offenders behind bars for life.

A Bill to that effect is in the offing and should it go through the criminals will face full force of the law, Environment principal secretary Richard Lesiyampe, has said.

“This game of playing hide and seek in the bush with these merciless poachers will soon come to an end once the Bill is passed and enacted into law,” said Dr Lesiyampe.

The Bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament in three weeks time.

Elephants and rhinos, two of the Big Five animals that have given Kenya a name on the tourism map, have borne the brunt of gunmen who shoot to kill for trophies.

Dr Lesiyampe said the government would not allow “a few selfish individuals” to destroy a Sh120 billion tourism industry to crumble. Poaching is now classified as an economic crime.

Kenya last year earned Sh97 billion from tourism, a drop of 7.4 per cent from previous period attributed to the March General Election fears. The official was speaking at Lake Nakuru National Park on Saturday during the ninth edition of the ‘Cycle with Rhino’ event attended by thousands of conservationists from all over the country.

‘Cycle with Rhino’ raises funds for building a 74km electric fence at the game park to protect the wildlife, especially the white rhino and reduce human wildlife conflict.

At least 13 white rhinos at Lake Nakuru National Park have been killed this year alone according to KWS director William Kiprono. A total of 45 white rhinos had been killed as at Saturday last week.

“I’m now warning poachers that they either leave this country or repent because we shall not allow them to attack our rangers because we shall mobilise all the resources to crash them,” said Dr Lesiyampe.

The government plans to recruit more rangers and has deployed crack anti-poaching units in areas prone to poaching such as Voi, Isiolo and Narok.