Seal Mombasa loopholes
What you need to know:
- With supposed sophisticated equipment and procedures at exit and entry points, it is hard to believe that such huge illegal consignments could sail through.
The seizure of a Sh570 million ivory haul by Singapore authorities weeks after another huge consignment from Kenya was found in Thailand provides clear evidence of corruption and systemic failures that should be robustly addressed.
Even though the police, the Kenya Revenue Authority and the Kenya Wildlife Service have promised to investigate the issue, many questions linger.
The source of the ivory and how the two shipments— and others believed to be on the high seas—passed customs and security without detection should be matters of interest that go beyond wildlife conservation into national security.
It is even more disturbing that Thai authorities claimed part of the haul they seized had been used as evidence in Kenyan courts.
With supposed sophisticated equipment and procedures at exit and entry points, it is hard to believe that such huge illegal consignments could sail through.
While the focus is now on suspects thought to be behind the shipments, it is important that all officials who were negligent in their duties, or who were part of the scheme, should be punished. A systems audit would also be helpful to seal loopholes.
These recent seizures should spur the government to act decisively and pass an unambiguous message to all those involved in poaching and the attendant illegal wildlife trade.
