NAIROBI, Kenya Dec 19 \u2013 Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has said Kenya is reaping the benefits of a renewed focus on modern, technology-driven wildlife conservation, citing rising tourism numbers, improved revenue collection and declining human\u2013wildlife conflict.<\/p>\n
Speaking on Friday while presiding over the pass-out parade of 147 cadet officers and 103 junior officers at the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Law Enforcement Academy in Manyani, Taita Taveta County, Kindiki said Kenya remains \u201cone of the world\u2019s most blessed nations\u201d with abundant wildlife across its terrestrial and marine parks and reserves.<\/p>\n
He said conservation outcomes have improved as the government deploys AI-powered surveillance systems, drones and satellite-linked patrol tools, while reopening wildlife migratory corridors that had been encroached on by decades of human development.<\/p>\n
\u201cWildlife conservation is on the rise, human\u2013wildlife conflict is on the decline, and our ecosystems are recovering because of deliberate, science-led interventions,\u201d Kindiki said.<\/p>\n
The Deputy President noted that automation of park fee collection has significantly boosted revenues, reducing KWS\u2019s dependence on the National Treasury.<\/p>\n
\u201cRevenue collection has grown from Sh4 billion in 2022 to nearly Sh8 billion last year, and we expect it to hit a record Sh11 billion this year,\u201d he said, adding that the gains are enabling KWS to fund more of its operations independently.<\/p>\n
Kindiki said the government has recruited, trained and deployed 1,500 new rangers and cadets over the past year, describing ranger welfare, housing and equipment as a top government priority.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese men and women are on the frontline of protecting our natural heritage, and their welfare remains a key focus,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to the Deputy President, the reforms have contributed to a sharp rebound in tourism, with foreign tourist arrivals increasing by about half a million in 2024, alongside a recovery in populations of key wildlife species.<\/p>\n
Kindiki also directed the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife and KWS to work closely with all 47 county governments to operationalise dozens of wildlife reserves under county jurisdiction that remain dormant.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese reserves are denying counties and communities much-needed revenue and jobs, while limiting the sector\u2019s potential to generate foreign exchange,\u201d he said, urging counties to move quickly to unlock the economic value of their conservation assets.<\/p>\n
He said activating the dormant reserves would create employment, empower local communities and strengthen Kenya\u2019s position as a leading global conservation and tourism destination.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NAIROBI, Kenya Dec 19 \u2013 Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has said Kenya is reaping the benefits of a renewed focus on modern, technology-driven wildlife conservation, citing rising tourism numbers, improved revenue collection and declining human\u2013wildlife conflict. Speaking on Friday while presiding over the pass-out parade of 147 cadet officers and 103 junior officers at the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-127043","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127043","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=127043"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127043\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=127043"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=127043"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=127043"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}