Busia: The Ogiek community from Bungoma County has made a plea to the government to grant them a participatory role in the management of Mt Elgon National Park. During a public consultation on the proposed amendments to the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act 2013, held at the Busia Agricultural Training Centre, community leader Cosmas Murunga emphasized their long-standing coexistence with the park’s wildlife and the absence of human-wildlife conflicts.

According to Kenya News Agency, Murunga advocated for the Ogiek community to be granted 50 percent control over the park’s management. He highlighted the community’s deep-rooted connections to the park, which include cultural shrines and valuable medicinal herbs, and argued for unrestricted access to these resources. Additionally, Murunga called for the community to receive half of the revenue generated by the park and to be offered employment opportunities within the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), citing their role in safeguarding the park’s animals.

The Ogiek community also urged the government to increase penalties for poaching, suggesting that the current fines are insufficient to deter wildlife destruction. Murunga mentioned that five local youths, trained at Manyani, are actively involved in park protection and requested that the government support their efforts financially.

Busia County Beach Management Unit Network Chairman Sylvester Kaiga proposed that local communities be included in the County Wildlife Compensation Committee to address the challenges victims face in receiving compensation for wildlife-related incidents. He stressed the need for simplifying the compensation process and educating the public on the necessary procedures.

Inviolata Indubi, Busia County Director of Tourism, supported the idea of involving county governments in park management and compensation processes to ensure timely justice for affected individuals. Sellah Wanjala further proposed the establishment of a permanent KWS office in the county to facilitate easier reporting of human-wildlife conflicts, particularly issues with local wildlife such as monkeys.

Bonface Okumu, chairman of the Busia County Boda Boda Association, highlighted the importance of recognizing wildlife conservation champions as a means of motivation. The forum, attended by participants from Busia and Bungoma Counties, is part of a nationwide public engagement initiative led by the State Department for Wildlife under the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife. The initiative seeks to align the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act with the Constitution and other national wildlife policies and strategies.