1 Killed After KWS Officers Clash With Armed Herders Inside National Park
KWS in a statement on Monday, December 30 confirmed the incident which occurred on Sunday, December 29 at Yakalicha, 16 kilometres inside Tsavo East National Park.
Marvin Chege 
One person was killed while several others sustained injuries following a night confrontation which saw a group of armed herders attack Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers at Yakalicha, Tsavo East National Park.
KWS in a statement on Monday, December 30 confirmed the incident which occurred on Sunday, December 29 at Yakalicha, 16 kilometres inside Tsavo East National Park. During a routine security patrol, the KWS officers encountered a group of over 30 armed herders who had illegally entered the park.
In the ensuing confrontation, the herders attacked the KWS officers with poisoned arrows and advanced aggressively. One herder was fatally injured during the incident and one officer escaped by a whisker from being shot with a poisoned arrow that stuck on the firearm.
"KWS extends its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased herder and regrets the incident, especially given the historically harmonious relationship between the Service and the Kone community," the statement read in part.
Entrance to Tsavo East National Park. /KENYA LUXURY SAFARI PACKAGES
The incident was reported to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) offices in Mutomo, Kitui County, and Garsen, Tana River County. Crime scene investigation teams embarked on establishing the circumstances surrounding the tragic turn of events. KWS expressed that it is cooperating fully with the DCI in their investigations.
The KWS also faulted Garsen Constituency Member of Parliament Guyo Ali Wario for reportedly inciting the local community against the park rangers.
"Over the past year, KWS has faced increasing hostility along the north-eastern boundary of Tsavo East National Park. Unfortunately, a section of the local community has been incited by the Member of Parliament for Garsen Constituency, Hon. Guyo Ali Wario, to illegally invade and settle within the park with false promises of acquiring land," added the statement.
According to KWS, this incitement has led to the illegal construction of makeshift settlements within the park; Armed herding of thousands of livestock in protected areas, posing a significant threat to wildlife and KWS personnel; and Displacement of wildlife, poaching, bush meat trade, wildlife deaths, arson, and severe environmental degradation.
In November 2024, such hostility culminated in the burning of a police station and the displacement of a KWS security base at Kalalani inside South Kitui National Reserve, an act KWS stated compromised public safety, property security, and wildlife protection.
Despite these challenges, KWS noted that it remains committed to fostering peaceful coexistence. The Service has engaged the local community through barazas (community meetings) involving elders, National Government Administration Officers (NGAO), and local leaders. These efforts have yielded positive outcomes, including improved relations and calmness.
"In response to community needs, KWS has undertaken various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, including, Drilling a borehole to provide water for local communities and their livestock; and Constructing classrooms to enhance educational facilities for the park-adjacent Kone community," added KWS.
"KWS reiterates that illegal entry into national parks constitutes a criminal offence under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, Cap 376. Armed incursions into wildlife-protected areas are particularly provocative and pose serious risks to both law enforcement officers and the public."
KWS has since condemned the continued incitement by Wario, which the service says has escalated tensions and contributed to the incident at Yakalicha.
Conflict between the KWS and the local community, particularly in the Tana Delta Sub-County, dates back months. Squabbles mainly stem from grazing space and a watering spot with the wardens.
Asa-Kone village, which borders the Tsavo East National Reserve, has particularly been a hotspot for clashes between the local community and the KWS officers. Area residents have in the past accused rangers of persecuting them without any grounds.
Some residents have alleged that their family members have been arrested in the past and detained in Voi, which is at least 400 kilometres from their village. In August 2024, Guyo attempted to quell the tensions between the local community and KWS by calling on the government to compensate residents and lead a peaceful dialogue between the two parties.
