There is a need to harmonize existing policies and legal frameworks to be responsive to wildlife sector needs and for improved service delivery, President William Ruto has said.
The President has since directed the Ministry of Tourism to within a month, submit a report on the relevance of the National Wildlife Strategy and the Wildlife Policy and whether a review is necessary.
The Head of State also directed the Ministry to submit to him a report on the roadmap on the broader conservation policy and law with other relevant sectors, within the same time frame.
“It will be important to re-examine our laws and policies and the extent to which they will serve us into the future,” Ruto stated.
He made the remarks in a speech delivered on his behalf by Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi on Tuesday during the first wildlife scientific conference held in a Naivasha hotel, organized by the Ministry, through the Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI).
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The conference is running under the theme ‘Use of wildlife science for enhanced biodiversity conservation and improved livelihoods’.
Ruto said he recognizes the existing wildlife regulatory frameworks and policies that the Government has established in order to transform the wildlife sector, a key enabler in the achievement of the country’s economic blueprint, the Vision 20130.
They include the Constitution, Wildlife Conservation and Management Act No. 47 of 2013, and Wildlife Policy Sessional lateral Environmental agreements (MEAs) that the Country has ratified.
Whereas these legal frameworks and policies have served the country well, Ruto regretted that the country is experiencing unprecedented challenges in the wildlife sector.
These include habitat loss and degradation, loss of ecosystems connectivity, climate change, human-wildlife conflicts, diseases and loss of genetic viability, poaching for trophies and bushmeat, infrastructural development, human encroachment into wildlife areas among others.
These challenges, he said, have resulted in significant declines in wildlife populations across the country.
He said the Government’s vision is to enhance wildlife conservation as part of a strong environmental foundation for achieving Kenya’s sustainable development agenda.
