This is surely heartrending about our Jumbos in particular and of course wildlife in general.
This report finds a place in the recent chronology of negatives that have characterized the life of Kenya as a country.
We have for a long time taken everything for granted, trusted others to it for us and recoiled into our comfort zones.Now our chickens are here, coming home to roost.
Kenyan wildlife is held in trust by the government for the Kenyan people.This would mean that the people should take a more participatory role in caring and planning for their wildlife.This however has not been the case for a long time.Wildlife is supposed to be the irritating concern for Mzungus.
The clan-political group ranches of the famous Maasai Mara are a case in point.
The catchy eco-tourism world re-known word leave a lot to be desired in some areas.
On a positive note though there are a few tourist concerns that have engaged the locals in partnership for effective conservation like the Il Ngwesi near Samburu.
I am of the persuasion that a situation like the one we find ourselves in right now could have been avoided had we put in place better leadership that is willing to listen to its people.
The government should be busy forestalling a similar situation in the days and years to come by putting in place a proper food security policy, provide its people with apt information on weather patterns before planting, introduce conservation as a subject in the curriculum, implement the 2004 tourism policy in full,lead in tree planting,protect our forests and other water catchment areas.
Kenyans should wake up and keep our government and politicians on their toes
about responsible leadership.If and when this happens, we would read more positive stories about our elephants, probably how we can start culling some due to overpopulation.
Remember we belong to and share the wider ecosystem with these giants, whatever happens to them will affect us tremendously and vice versa.The choice is clearly ours!!!!