Nairobi, Kenya (25 March 2012)
KWS is responsible for Expert's Arrest by Police
Ecotourism Kenya refutes a statement by Kenya Wildlife Service appearing on page 6 of the Daily Nation newspaper, 24th March 2012, stating that Mr. Kahindi Lekalhaile, our Chief Executive Officer was never arrested and quizzed by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Kenya Police over his published opinion that the KWS could have understated the number of elephant killings in Kenya last year.
Mr. Kahindi was released from police custody on cash bail of KSh 30,000 till 9.30am, Thursday 29th March 2012 when he will report back to the police station as instructed by the CID Office. The cash bail period extension was signed last Tuesday morning by the Divisional Criminal Investigations Officer at Langata Police Station in the presence of two investigations officers from Kenya Wildlife Service.
Kenya Wildlife Service has no basis to deny that the arrest of Mr. Kahindi occurred. The police cash bail receipt (which clearly states that Kahindi was arrested for 'undermining the authority of a public officer' i.e. the complainant, KWS Director), together with Mr. Kahindi's statement written in the presence of KWS officers and and the occurrence book record attest to and confirms Kahindi's arrest, interrogation and detention related to a complaint by the KWS Director, Julius Kipngetich about Mr. Kahindi's published opinion. In an article published in the Daily Nation, 21st March 2012, page 36 the Deputy OCS of Langata Police Station confirmed the arrest and the proceedings at the police station.
Ecotourism Kenya still agrees with Mr. Kahindi that last year witnessed one of the worst episodes of ivory poaching in recent times, which may have resulted in the death of hundreds of elephants throughout the country. The gravity of the problem cannot be underestimated. KWS claims that over eight tons of ivory on illegal transit were intercepted in Kenya; there is a possibility that a lot more tonnage was trafficked unnoticed by the wildlife authority. Wildlife poaching was reported frequently in 2011 by KWS, community conservancies and locally-based conservation organizations.
The poaching menace has been continued since the beginning of this year and the situation is growing worse daily, given the high number of poaching incidents reported by KWS and other wildlife stakeholders, including tour operators countrywide. This is a big threat to tourism.
Therefore, it is a fact that Kenya currently has a serious wildlife poaching problem. It's in this realization that Mr. Kahindi candidly expressed his opinion as entitled and enshrined in Kenya's constitution. Kahindi cannot be persecuted or incarcerated for expressing his opinion, albeit different from the KWS Director. Ecotourism Kenya urges KWS to engage Ecotourism Kenya and other stakeholders in addressing the poaching menace, while tolerating, respecting and upholding freedom of speech on the matter.
For further information on this matter, please contact the Ecotourism Kenya Chairman, Mr. Andrew Muigai on tel: 0722600346 or Mr. Kahindi Lekalhaile on 0721-226577.
Mr. Andrew Muigai,
Chairman, Ecotourism Kenya
Website: www.ecotourismkenya.org
Update - 31 March 2012:
Charge Against Tourism Expert Dropped (Ecotourism Kenya Press Release)
A criminal charge against the Ecotourism Kenya Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kahindi Lekalhaile was dropped on Thursday morning at 9.30am, 29th March 2012 after KWS withdrew its complaint against the expert. The cash bail was also returned. Mr. Kahindi had been arrested by CID officers from Langata Police Station on Monday, 19th March 2012 following his opinion published in a newspaper article recently that the number of elephant killed in Kenya last year was possibly 10 times more than the official figure stated by the KWS Director, Dr. Julius Kipngetich. His arrest triggered a global outcry by Ecotourism Kenya members, Tourism Practioners and conservation activists, especially through social media and the press.
On Wednesday evening, the Ecotourism Kenya Board, including Mr. Kahindi, held a lengthy meeting with Dr. Kipngetich to address and resolve the case given the escalating wildlife poaching in the country and threats to tourism business in wildlife sanctuaries, including national parks and reserves. Both Ecotourism Kenya and Kenya Wildlife Service agreed that all forms of poaching must be controlled and eliminated urgently to safeguard the integrity of coastal and inland tourism attractions. Dr. Kipngetich explained that KWS was working hard to combat ivory poaching and other forms of wildlife persecution.
The KWS Director assured Ecotourism Kenya that KWS strives to find all elephant mortality especially those arising from illegal killings. On the other hand, Mr. Kahindi reiterated that he stood by his speculative figure of dead elephants in 2011 which is based on anecdotal evidence and reports from many tour operators and local communities operating wildlife conservancies in elephant-rich areas, whereby elephant poaching was reported throughout the year to date.
Therefore, both KWS and Ecotourism Kenya agreed to exchange reports of dead elephants and rhinos promptly and candidly henceforth. Ecotourism Kenya will continue to highlight the poaching problem within its ability and also support efforts by KWS and other stakeholders in eliminating the problem. It was on the basis of this agreement that KWS withdrew its charge on Mr. Kahindi to facilitate cooperation and collaboration in effort to combat poaching in Kenya.
Ecotourism Kenya wishes to thank all its members and supporters throughout the world for their interest to address the rampant elephant poaching in Kenya. Let us all protect our precious wildlife resources.
Mr. Andrew Muigai, Chairman, Ecotourism Kenya