Nairobi-Mombasa Highway Protests Over Rising Deaths Disrupt Transport
A portion of the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway was rendered impassable. As a result of protests by locals over an increase in reported fatalities.
Residents at Mtito Andei in Makueni County obstructed the road, causing delays for motorists traveling from Nairobi to Mombasa. Residents lamented recent attacks by wild animals, including elephants that killed several people at night.
The residents suffered enormous losses as a result of the extensive destruction of their property and crops by wild animals.
Officers were forced to use tear gas to disperse the unruly locals who had blocked the highway for several hours.
At the time of publication, law enforcement officers were still working to restore normal traffic flow.
The Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) has never intervened despite our repeated requests. As residents of Mtito Andei, we implore the government to erect a permanent fence to prevent wild animals from invading our homes, pleaded one protesting resident to the administration of President William Ruto.
“We do not desire continued human-animal conflict. This is why we are asking the government for solutions to this problem,” the resident continued.
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In addition to erecting a permanent fence, the residents pleaded with the KWS officers to increase surveillance in the area. Especially since it served as a nighttime trucking corridor.
In addition, they requested that the Ministry of Tourism, led by Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza, establish a rapid response system to assist with emergencies in the region.
Their comments followed Tourism CS’s pledge to increase operations to address wildlife conflicts.
Malonza called for concerted efforts to end poaching and other human-wildlife conflicts after becoming the first woman to be elected president of the Governing Council of the Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF).
New strategies had helped reduce poaching in the region, concurred Attorney General Justin Muturi, who agreed with Malonza.
“Notable achievements include the apprehension and prosecution of more than one hundred criminal kingpins involved in wildlife trade, effectively disrupting illegal international wildlife trafficking.” In addition, wildlife security forces have successfully recovered numerous specimens, including ivory, rhinoceros horns, pangolin scales, sandalwood, primates, reptiles, and birds, according to Muturi.
Nairobi-Mombasa Highway Protests Over Rising Deaths Disrupt Transport
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