Close friends Trevor Ombija and Jane Ngoiri appointed honorary wardens

MAUREEN WARUINGE ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST

30 July 2022

• The wardens who were Gazetted will serve in the capacity for three years.

• CS Tourism unveiled the honorees earlier before the gazettment

Media personalities Trevor Ombija and Jane Ngoiri, have landed some major roles thanks to an appointment by Tourism CS Najib Balala.

A Gazette notice shows Trevor and Jane join a host of notable Kenyans as the newest batch of honorees. Others are Uhuru Kenyatta's nephew, Jomo Gecaga.

"Honorary Wildlife Wardens are volunteer conservationists drawn from various fields to assist in the conservation of wildlife using their various areas of expertise," Read a notice by KWS.

It further added,

"The Cabinet Secretary, @Min_TourismKE, Hon. @tunajibu, has made 17 appointments for Honorary Wardens (HW)."

Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, Hon. Najib Balala, was the chief guest during the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) second Honorary Wardens Conference held at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, on July 27, 2022.

Addressing Honorary Wardens who attended the conference, Hon. Balala said this year’s theme was Wildlife Conservation Stewardship in the 21st Century.

He congratulated them on their appointment, reiterating that the title came with great responsibility because to be an Honorary Warden is a prestige service to Kenya.

Balala averred that the Kenya Government, through KWS, had opted to be more dynamic in the way it manages conservation areas, saying that such appointments were one of the tried-and-true methods to achieve greater conservation milestones.

KWS said the honorary wardens underwent a rigorous selection process that will aid them in the conservation work.

Requirements for appointment included one to be active in wildlife conservation initiatives within the conservation area.

One also had to demonstrate the nature of assistance they shall give in carrying into effect the provisions of the Act.

According to KWS, the duties of an Honorary Warden are subject to each individual’s skills but will also include Wildlife security, problematic animal Management, conservation education, community engagement and awareness creation on wildlife conservation, and fundraising for wildlife conservation among other duties.

Duties of Honorary Wardens: The duties of an Honorary Warden shall be subject to each individual’s skills and competencies and shall include but not be limited to the following:

Wildlife security; Problematic animal Management; Conservation education; Community engagement and awareness creation on wildlife conservation; Fundraising for wildlife conservation; Fire management in protected areas; Wildlife translocation; Wildlife census; Species and ecosystem monitoring;Wildlife utilization management;Wildlife veterinary practice;