Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has ordered the Kenya Wildlife Service to commence and investigation into the harassment of a conservation by private rangers along a public road in Laikipia.
Dr Mordecai Ogada of Conservation Solutions Afrika was driving with his children along the Nanyuki-Kinamba road when he was confronted by the rangers who even threatened to kill him.
The guards who work for Ol Jogi ranch owned by white people have a tendency of harassing motorists using the public road that also connects to the said ranch.
Ogada was harassed for taking photos of the birds in the conservancy.
In a statement Balala instructed the KWS to report to him the findings on Wednesday this week.
“The government of Kenya and my Ministry will not condone any undue harassment or intimidation of Kenyans who are going about their normal business and enjoying their God given heritage by anyone” Balala stated.
He added that no discriminatory harassment of any nature in and around private conservancies and in any tourism facility in the country will be tolerated by the government.
According to Ogada, the rangers stopped him and demanded to know who he was, why he was there and why he was photographing the birds.
The ranger cocked his gun and then pointed it towards him and his family and he labelled them “poachers”.
Other guards arrived aimed their guns and him and ordered him out of his car but he declined and stood his ground, forcing them to give in and drive away.
