A light moment unfolded in Ngulia, Taita Taveta County, after a black rhino briefly charged toward President William Ruto during the launch of the Tsavo West Rhino Sanctuary on Tuesday, December 9.
Ruto, accompanied by senior government officials including Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General Erustus Kanga and National Security Advisor Monica Juma, had travelled to the sanctuary to witness the symbolic release of a rhino into the wild.
The team arrived at the site aboard a tourist van before climbing onto the back of a nearby truck positioned a short distance from the transport container holding the rhino.
KWS rangers then moved in to open the container but as the massive animal stepped out, it suddenly turned toward Ruto's direction and made a brief charge.
This prompted startled reactions from those on the truck but the rhino quickly changed course and sprinted in the opposite direction.
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The unexpected moment drew laughter and playful comments from officials, including the president himself.
"It wants chaos?" Ruto remarked as the crowd burst into laughter.
One of the officials standing close to Ruto then teased him about his reaction, saying, "Mr. President, were you a little concerned? I saw you back up; you were moving."
Meanwhile, Ruto has positioned conservation as a key economic driver while launching the expanded Tsavo West Rhino Sanctuary, describing it as a major investment in both wildlife protection and job creation.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ruto announced that the initiative is projected to generate more than 18,000 jobs and create over $45 million (KSh5.8 billion) in conservancy and tourism-related revenue by 2030.
He emphasized that the sanctuary represents more than just a conservation milestone, describing it as 'a sovereign responsibility of global significance.'
"Our government is clear that natural capital is economic capital, and the Tsavo West Rhino Sanctuary stands firmly within our Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, the National Wildlife Strategy 2030, and the Black Rhino Recovery and Action Plan," he stated.
The Tsavo West Rhino Sanctuary has undergone a remarkable transformation over four decades.
Beginning with just three rhinos on a three-square-kilometer plot 40 years ago, the facility has expanded to cover 3,200 square kilometers, making it the world's largest rhino sanctuary.
The sanctuary now provides secure habitat for more than 200 rhinos, positioning the ecosystem as both a conservation hub and a major tourist attraction expected to draw more visitors to Kenya.
Ruto stressed that conservation initiatives must deliver tangible benefits to local communities, noting that the sanctuary is already generating employment across multiple sectors.
"Conservation must also work for the people. The Tsavo West Rhino Sanctuary is already creating jobs in ranger deployment, surveillance, monitoring, fencing, roadworks, construction, and logistics," he said.
Ruto highlighted that the project is stimulating local economies through supply chains, transport services, community enterprises, and small businesses connected to the expanding wildlife economy.
"We are redefining conservation in Kenya, not as a cost to the taxpayer, but as a national investment class," he declared.
