NAIROBI, Kenya – A heated public debate has erupted after constitutional lawyer Willis Otieno accused the government of “quietly privatizing” the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) by deploying state-funded rangers to guard farms allegedly owned by senior politicians.
In a statement posted Tuesday, Otieno claimed the government had diverted KWS personnel — whose mandate is wildlife protection and conservation — to serve as private security for powerful individuals. He termed the alleged move “an abuse of office” and “a textbook case of state capture.”
“KWS rangers, funded by taxpayers to protect wildlife and national parks, are being quietly turned into private security for the political elite,” he wrote. “Instead of curbing rising human–wildlife conflict, stopping poaching, or strengthening conservation, this administration is redirecting rangers to guard private ranches.”
KWS rangers, funded by taxpayers to protect wildlife and national parks, are being quietly turned into private security for the political elite. That is an abuse of office and a textbook case of state capture.Instead of deploying rangers to curb rising human–wildlife conflict,
His remarks follow unverified reports circulating online alleging that teams of KWS officers have recently been deployed to political leaders’ ranches under unclear circumstances.
The claims have triggered public concern, with conservationists warning that any diversion of rangers from their official duties could compromise wildlife protection, especially amid increased human–wildlife incidents in several counties.
KWS had not issued a formal response by the time of publication.
Otieno urged authorities to account for ranger deployments and reaffirm the agency’s core mandate, saying, “Taxpayers fund KWS for national service, not personal security for the powerful.”
The allegations add to growing scrutiny over the management of state security resources and have amplified calls for transparency from conservation stakeholders.
