Governor gives wildlife trust two day ultimatum to get elephants off farms days after Morans kill 2 jumbos

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) have two days to get elephants off Maasai farms or else Maasai Morans will take actions on their own hands, Kajiado governor Joseph ole Lenku has warned.

While speaking to armed Maasai morans in Imbuko Location of Mashuuru sub-county flanked by Kajiado acting county commissioner David Kipkemei and Mashuuru deputy county commissioner Stephen Nyakundi, the governor reiterated his earlier warning for KWS to get stray elephants out of Maasais' farms.

“I am giving them two days to drive their elephants from our farms, failure of which my people will defend themselves. The jumbos have left a trail of destruction wherever they have passed."

Lenku’s warning comes even as the human-wildlife conflict has already claimed its first casualty.

The Morans, claimed they killed seven jumbos from Amboseli National Park on Saturday but Kajiado county warden Dickson Korir said only two animals were dead.

“We are investigating the causes of the deaths. It is too early to apportion blame to anyone," he said, but confirmed that the animals had invaded farms and destroyed property and plants.

"The ongoing drought has forced wild animals out of parks and they are now moving in hordes to private farms in search of water and grazing,” said Korir.

Peter Lesalaon, Moran leader, added that their children no longer go to schools "because the elephants have strayed all over the area", from Amboseli and Chulu Hills.

Wildlife conservatives have however criticised the governor, a former manager at Kenya Utalii College over his reckless statement saying instead of inciting the community his government should act as a mediator and mitigate wildlife-human conflict.

Apart from providing revenues through tourism, elephants offer ecological value among other benefits.

The governor on Saturday told KWS to fence its parks to reduce human-wildlife conflicts.

“Thirty seven people have been killed in the last one year, while many more have been maimed by these animals, yet KWS has given affected families the deaf ear on compensation," he said.