Changes at Kenya Wildlife Service as top officials suspended

Kenya Wildlife Service rangers on a patrol. A number of top-level managers at the Kenya Wildlife Service have been suspended while others have been demoted. FILE PHOTO |

What you need to know:

  • Four senior managers were asked to step aside to pave the way for investigations, as their positions were taken up by colleagues in acting capacity.

  • The changes were signed by director-general (Brig) Waweru, who has been in office for barely two months.

A number of top-level managers at the Kenya Wildlife Service have been suspended while others have been demoted, sending shock waves across the conservation agency.

Confusion rocked the KWS headquarters on Lang’ata Road Thursday morning as the affected officials arrived to learn of their suspension, which had unexpectedly been communicated late on Wednesday evening.

A communiqué sent to newsrooms Thursday only gave a list of names of those dismissed and demoted and those replacing them without much detail on why they were being dismissed.

And by Thursday evening, those who spoke to the Nation said they were in shock as they did not know the reasons behind their suspension.

STAFF MEMO

Head of supply chain management Christopher Oludhe, and Mr Robert Muasya, the deputy director of security, were still in Meru on official duty, from where they received the news that had been communicated to staff through a memo.

The senior managerial changes were signed by director-general (Brig) John Waweru, who has been in office for barely two months.

“There are various investigations taking place in the departments headed by these senior officers that would be compromised by their continued presence in office,” said the newly appointed head, corporate communications and service spokesperson Ngugi Gecaga in a phone interview.

Four senior managers were asked to step aside to pave the way for investigations, as their positions were taken up by colleagues in acting capacity.