The recent killing of six lions from the Nairobi National Park by residents of Kitengela leaves much to be desired about the management of such conflicts. The lions had moved out of the park and had killed and harmed a number of goats and sheep belonging to the Maasai.
Livestock is the economic resource of the Maasai. Killing or harming their livestock amounts to undermining their economic status.
According to residents of Kitengela, they killed the lions because the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) does not compensate them for any losses they suffer when their animals are killed or harmed by wildlife. In their defense, KWS said that the law does not give them the power to compensate people for loss of their animals.
It therefore makes little sense to the Maasai around Kitengela to sit idly and watch their animals get killed. KWS needs to do more if it has to save wild animals from being killed. Saying that the law does not allow them to to this or that wont do.
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