By Staff Writer | Wajir Today | Tuesday, 11 November 2025
A day after the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) translocated two orphaned giraffes from Wajir to Laikipia, Wajir South Member of Parliament Mohamed Adow has accused the agency of carrying out a secret and unlawful relocation.
Mr. Adow said the two orphaned giraffes were being cared for by community members and conservation volunteers in Wajir before KWS removed them without consultation.
“We strongly condemn the secret and unlawful relocation of two orphaned giraffes from Wajir to a private sanctuary in Nanyuki by the Kenya Wildlife Service,” Mr. Adow said in a statement on Monday evening.
He said the young giraffes had lost their mother and were under the protection of the local community, which had shown commitment to their welfare.
“Without any consultation or consent, KWS removed them from their natural landscape, violating established conservation principles, community rights, and the spirit of devolution,” he said.
According to Mr. Adow, no stakeholder was engaged in the decision to move the giraffes.
“No local leaders, conservation experts, or the communities who have been on the frontline of wildlife protection were consulted,” he added. “This act undermines trust and disregards the essential role that communities play in safeguarding wildlife.”
The lawmaker demanded the immediate return of the two orphaned giraffes to Wajir County.
He also called for full transparency and accountability from KWS regarding the decision-making process and the involvement of any private entities.
Mr. Adow urged the wildlife agency to impose a moratorium on further translocations of wildlife from Northern Kenya without consultation and consent from affected counties and communities.
“This is not conservation, it is betrayal,” he said. “True conservation must be community-centred, transparent, and lawful. We will not allow our wildlife to be removed for the benefit of others.”
KWS position
However, KWS officials have defended the relocation, saying it was necessary to ensure the animals’ survival.
The two orphaned giraffes were moved on Monday from the KWS station in Wajir to an orphanage in Laikipia, in what officials described as a delicate operation to safeguard their long-term welfare.
According to KWS County Warden Jimale Rashid Hassan, the decision was made solely to protect the young giraffes.
“These two giraffes have lived among people for too long,” Mr. Hassan said. “They were rescued as young orphans and raised here, but releasing them would put them in danger. They no longer fear humans, and that makes them vulnerable to poaching.”
He said the animals were being transferred to a KWS facility in Laikipia where there is abundant forage.
“Here in Wajir, we only have 27 acres of dry land,” he noted. “The vegetation is sparse, and the animals have been struggling. In Laikipia, they will have a better environment to grow strong and healthy.”
The giraffes, both males aged about two and a half years, were rescued after their mothers were killed, possibly by poachers. Since then, KWS rangers have raised them within the fenced compound.
“They became part of our daily lives,” Mr. Hassan said. “But we had to make a tough decision. The dry spell is biting, and the risk of poaching has increased”
The translocation marks a rare wildlife rescue effort from Wajir County, where the prolonged dry spell continues to threaten both people and wildlife.
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