Taita Taveta County government will next year intensify its campaign to convert Tsavo National Park into a game reserve. Speaking in Wundanyi, Governor Granton Samboja said, together with members of the County Assembly (MCAs), they will subject the matter to public participation to get the residents’ opinion on the issue.
The matter has also elicited debate among conservationists across the country. Taita Taveta leaders and residents claim they have never benefited from the expansive park. The leaders will move across the 20 wards to collect more than 250,000 signatures from residents to petition the national government and the Senate.
The governor also appealed for support from leaders in the Coast region. The park occupies almost 62 percent of Taita Taveta County land. Residents from these counties have been experiencing frequent human-wildlife conflicts that have led to loss of lives and property damage. They have on numerous occasions lodged complaints to the national government through the Kenya Wildlife Service over the matter but little has been done. They argue that the compensation they receive is very little and want the issue addressed comprehensively.
[Article source: The Daily Nation, by Lucy Mkanyika]
