MOU to Combat Illegal Wildlife

Wildlife crime is of international concern hence the need to develop strong partnerships not only amongst countries but international agencies as well, in tackling the vice.

Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on bilateral cooperation in combating wildlife crime in Africa. The MoU will facilitate cooperative wildlife law enforcement operations and relevant capacity building programmes between the two organizations to benefit Lusaka Agreement member states and the entire African continent.

 MOU: IFAW Regional Director James Isiche & LATF Director Bonaventure Ebayi

The Lusaka Agreement on Co-operative Enforcement Operations Directed at Illegal Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora was the brain-child of Wildlife Law Enforcement Officers from eight Eastern and Southern African countries meeting in Lusaka, Zambia in December 1992, under the auspices of Zambia’s Ministry of Tourism. The Agreement came into force on 10th December 1996 with the ratification, or formal acceptance, by four signatories. Currently, there are Seven Parties to the Agreement: The Republics of Congo (Brazzaville), Kenya, Liberia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and the Kingdom of Lesotho. Republics of South Africa, Ethiopia and the Kingdom of Swaziland are signatories.It is also deposited with the Secretary General of the United Nations as an Environmental Treaty (XXVII.11).

 IFAW was founded in 1969, to save animals in crisis around the world. It rescues individual animals, works to prevent cruelty to animals, and advocates for the protection of wildlife and habitats.

Illegal trade and related wildlife crime is now globally ranked as one of the most serious international crimes. Recent reports from wildlife conservationists indicated that proceeds of wildlife crime are also used to finance other international crimes including proliferation of illegal firearms, human trafficking and terrorism cartels of which no country or agency can single-handedly manage.

During the Ceremony, the Ministry for Environment Water and Natural Resources, Interpol, and Kenya Wildlife Service were represented.

BWPK Progress Review

National Project Committee (NPC) for Barcode of Wildlife Project Kenya (BWPK) held crucial meeting to review progress of Phase II of the Project.

Above: The Co-chairs of BWPK Mr. Patrick Omondi of Kenya Wildlife Service (l) and Dr Beatrice Khayota of National Museums of Kenya (r) highlighted that the ultimate goal for the project is to bridge the gap between conservation genetics and law enforcement, and that the Project should act as a bond that links critical institutions in aim to achieve this very goal.

Members of NPC during a brainstorming and progress review session of the project. The meeting was held at the Institute of Primate Research, an arm of the National Museums of Kenya.

Since its inception, the project has achieved some milestones some of which include Linkages Between Prosecution and Wildlife DNA-based Forensics workshop, assembling of Fundraising Brochure for KWS's New Molecular Biology Lab, Legal Standards and Forensics Workshop, and Legal standards Forensic Evidence Workshop; a critical workshop that addressed the reasons why wildlife law enforcement officers for a long time have lost legal battles in court due insufficient evidence. More importantly, the project held Field and Lab Management Information Systems Barcoding Workshops. Both Field Information Managements Systems and Laboratory Information Managements Systems are critical in the success of the barcode project, and enhances collaboration with other countries involved in the project.

Government Committed to Combat Poaching Challenges

Prof Judi Wakhungu

The government is demonstrating its commitment to combat poaching challenges and guarantee security, conservation and management of wildlife resources for posterity.

The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Water and Natural Resources Prof Judi Wakhungu has urged Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to work with other law enforcement agencies especially National Intelligence Service (NIS) Customs, the Kenya Police Service, Interpol, Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF), Immigration Department, and the Kenya Airports Authority among others, in ensuring that local and international laws on wildlife crimes are enforced.

Mr. William Kiprono

On a speech read on her behalf by Ag Director General KWS, Mr. William Kiprono on the occasion of receiving nine vehicles for Inter-security Anti-Poaching Elite Crack Unit (APECU), Prof Judi Wakhungu emphasized that the government is very much aware of the magnitude of the challenge posed by wildlife poaching especially of rhinos and elephants. "We acknowledge that wildlife security threats a global phenomenon that has largely been driven by the high demand for ivory and rhino horn in the Asian Countries," she noted. 

Anti-Poaching Elite Crack Unit  (APECU) vehicles

In August last year, the government directed that a joint inter-agency (APECU) comprising of KWS, Administration Police (AP) and General Service Unit (GSU) officers to be formed. They were jointly trained and deployed in three poaching hot-spots of Tsavo, Liaikipia, and Narok. This kind of momentous facilitation by the government is surely a boost for on-going war on poaching.  

Mr. William Kiprono flags off APECU vehicles

Prof Wakhungu said “The unit has had significant impact as evidenced by reducing poaching incidences to negligible numbers across the country”. She noted that the KWS has already “formed an Elite Response Unit (RRU) to work alongside the APECU in readiness to take up the role at the lapse of one year of its tenure as envisaged.”

Mr Kiprono said KWS is sending a strong message to poachers and trophy dealers that they shall be dealt with severely according to the law.

In the meantime, through the use of world-class life sciences tools, capabilities and processes, Kenya will leapfrog older crime fighting techniques to enhance the capabilities to protect its biodiversity, hence by equipping the new Wildlife Forensic laboratory based at Kenya Wildlife Service, the modern DNA-based molecular methods will aid in the fight against the poaching of endangered and protected species, and in the prevention of cruelty to animals. 

Chinese Premier Promises to Combat Poaching, Ivory Smuggling

Poaching has risen sharply across Africa in recent years, and much of the ivory smuggled is destined for China, whose rapidly growing economy has encouraged those enjoying disposable income to splash out on an ivory trinket as a sign of financial success.

In Picture: Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang displays commitment for wildlife conservation as Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Vice President William Ruto flank him in Nairobi National Park. This was a symbolic gesture of commitment to elimination of poaching & smuggling of wildlife products to his country.

In Kenya, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang signed a string of economic deals with Kenya on the final leg of a four-nation Africa tour that has underscored Beijing's growing ties with the continent. The 17 agreements include provisions for economic cooperation grants, interest-free and concessional loans and assistance to build a new railway link from the Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa to Nairobi and rest of east Africa.

Wildlife conservation was also on the agenda, with Li keen to show official Chinese support for Kenya's efforts to combat the rampant poaching of elephants and rhino in the face of huge demand for ivory and rhino horns in Asia, particularly China.

Wildlife poaching and trading has been viewed as a conservation issue for a very longtime now. It’s an illegitimate global economy monopolized by syndicates and enabled by high-level bureaucrats and powerful business interests.

In Picture: Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang enjoys a game drive in Nairobi National Park.

While visiting the Nairobi National Park’s Ivory Burning Site Monument, Chinese Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said his government was sending a clear message that it supports wildlife protection and announced a Sh860 million ($10 million) financial support for wildlife conservation in Kenya.

President Uhuru Kenyatta said “We have committed ourselves to lead the fight against poaching together with the Chinese Government” and thanked China for its "continued support and cooperation in our effort to combat and eventually eliminate the illegal trade in ivory as well as in our other initiatives to preserve our natural heritage." 

In the meantime, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is in the process of using DNA barcoding to bridge the gap between conservation genetics and law alongside the new wildlife bill.  DNA barcoding is a technique that uses short DNA sequences from standardized positions in the genome to identify species. Barcode of Wildlife Project has a big part to play in protection of Kenya’s biodiversity as well as curbing illegally harvested plant materials, poached tusks, horns, and meat sold as bushmeat.   

On a separate press conference, Kenya’s Environment Cabinet Secretary Prof. Judi Wakhungu told journalists in Nairobi that both nations will enhance cooperation so as to reduce poaching on Kenya’s wildlife.

“We will expand our cooperation beyond commercial ties to include wildlife conservation efforts,” Wakhungu said when Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Liu Guangyuan paid her a courtesy visit.

According to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Kenya is both a source and a destination for illegal ivory products.

Liu said after the meeting that his country will continue to assist Kenya’s efforts to eliminate the illicit trade in wildlife products. He added that the both nations have already developed close bilateral ties.

“Our aim is to ensure that cooperation in the conservation efforts is also enhanced,” Liu said.

Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) is pushing for life imprisonment for poachers of elephants and rhinos as a deterrent measures to protect the two endangered species. KWS Director William Kiprono said on Monday the killing of wildlife especially the elephants and rhinos in the county are alarming and required stiff penalties to the perpetrators.

Kiprono said the killing of the two endangered species for their valued tusks is an economic sabotage and punitive measures have to be meted on criminals involved in the vice.

“The only way to protect these endangered species; elephants and rhinos is to send poachers to complete their remaining years of their life in prison. This will deter others from engaging in poaching,” said Kiprono in Kitale when he met with local security agencies to map out strategies to tame poaching of elephants at Nasolot Game Reserve.