The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has announced the interdiction of a ranger captured in a viral video assaulting an elderly man in Lunga Lunga Sub County, Kwale County.
In a video that has widely circulated on social media platforms, a team of officers believed to be KWS rangers were recorded harassing a man by compelling him to entertain them through song and dance.
During the incident, the rangers were heard accusing the man of fetching firewood inside a protected forest located within Lunga Lunga. “Today is Friday, you should have gone to the mosque to pray but you are here stealing firewood,” commented one of the officers.
Moments later, the officers were spotted forcibly making the man lie on the ground before a female officer proceeded to strike him severally. The man could be heard groaning as he got whipped.
“This will make you stop fetching firewood from this forest, we have been warning you. We are killing you so that you do not disturb us again,” stated another officer.
KWS through a statement issued on Tuesday, November 19, termed the act as unacceptable adding that the actions by the ranger as depicted in the video did not reflect the ethos of the wildlife service.
According to the government entity, investigations into the incident had already commenced and necessary action will be taken against those involved in the heinous act.
“Following a video circulating online, depicting a KFS Forest Ranger harassing a suspect in Lunga Lunga, Kwale County, the Service wishes to clarify that it does not condone such behaviour and that the Ranger in question has been interdicted,” read part of the statement by KWS.
“The Service upholds Human Rights -Based Approach in conducting any arrests of forest offenders and all staff are empowered with the necessary skills and knowledge,” the statement added.
KWS went ahead to urge Kenyans to report any such incidents of harassment, corruption and forest crimes to the nearest police station or send an email to: info@kenyaforestservice.org
The viral video drew the attention of many Kenyans, including human rights activists, who called on the National Police Service (NPS) and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to take action against the officers.
The latest incident comes hardly four months after President William Ruto directed the KWS and the Kilifi County Government to address the complaints lodged by residents over harassment by rangers.
Speaking at a rally in Kilifi County in July, the Head of State ordered the officials to work together with Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung'aro and other leaders to find a lasting solution.
During his speech, the president put the officers on notice and vowed to make realignments within the wildlife service. According to Ruto, the sole function of the KWS officials is to provide solutions to the challenges facing the residents and not to cause harm to them
"I have heard these KWS officials are disturbing you. I will deal with them because they are supposed to serve Kenyans and as long as the citizens are law-abiding, they should not be harmed. We will sort out that issue, and it must be immediate. So I direct the KWS to work with the MCA, MP and Governor to sort out the mess,” Ruto directed.
