Tribunal to deliver a judgement in a suit between residents and investors over electric fence

Photo/The members of the Tribunal when they visited the controversial electric fence site, in Nginyii villagein Umande ward in Laikipia East.

The Mountain Journal in Laikipia

editor@themountainjournal.co.ke

The National Environmental Tribunal will deliver a judgment on the protracted wrangle between the residents of Akurinu/ Nginyii residents and tourism investors on the installation of the electric fence along Timau river.

The tribunal chaired by Mr Ronaldo Allamano ruled that the judgement will be delivered on May 27, after hearing evidence from the three witnesses fronted by the parties.

The victims of human wildlife conflict in Umande ward, Nema and KWS adduced their evidence on Wednesday.

“As we conclude the hearing evidence from the parties, lawyers will present submissions, the tribunal will issue its judgement,” said Allamano.

During the hearing of the suit, an investor Dr Hield Valnueew, a Belgium national with 15 acres of land, alleged that elephants in the locality were interested in vegetation in 300 acres of land, instead of grazing in the 50,000 acres plains in Lolldaiga hills..

The Belgium national opposed the installation of the fence along the Timau river, saying the same will block the animals from accessing the river water.

The tribunal heard that a row between the community and the investors emerged following the opposition of the electric fence facilitated by the Lolldaiga Valley PLC.

Peter Mwangi from KWS told the tribunal that in the last five months they had received 1,500 complaints from the locals, in relation to the human wildlife conflict.

Mwangi, a wildlife Ecologist said the Umande KWS outpost covers Umande, Muramati and Mukima is covered by three rangers, who are overwhelmed by human wildlife conflict.

“The petitioners’ land was not designated for the wildlife habitat, thus not a high risk area to warrant an electric fence,” said Mwangi.

He added that water dams in the Lolldaiga conservancy are full of water for the animals as the Timau river was seasonal.

A witness Mzee James Gathondu 80’s said the community supported installation of the electric fence, which was to mitigate human wildlife conflict and safety of the villagers.

Gathondu, a resident of Muramati village, accused the investors for blocking the installation of the fence, funded by Lolldaiga Conservancy,for their personal interests.

“In the Muramati area, there is a fence that has assisted the residents, and the trouble resumed after the fencing works were blocked following a court ordert,” said Gathondu.

The victims of the human wildlife conflict are represented by lawyer Kelvin Kubai.

During the close examination, Dr Valnueew, explained that the fence would affect the wildlife, as they would prefer to graze in the southern part.

“As a Elephant Management expert, the fence should be installed on the southern side, to enable animals free access to the riparian in the 300 acres of land ,” she said.