Soysambu: The ranch residents love to hate

By Beatrice Obwocha

It has been a love-hate relationship between Delamere Estate and its neighbours.

Hostility towards the ranch in Nakuru soared when Lord Delamere’s grandson Tom Cholmondeley was arrested and charged with shooting stonemason Robert Njoya in 2006.

The media widely covered the anger, especially among those near his home in Mbaruk.

It is alleged Njoya and others were poaching inside Soysambu ranch, which is part of the Delamere estates.

The shooting and subsequent prosecution of Mr Cholmondeley exposed the Delameres to negative publicity, locally and internationally.

Cases of poaching escalated and the friction between the ranch management and the community heightened.

Youths raided the farm and killed hundreds of animals, forcing the management to rethink their approach.

A year after the incident, Soysambu ranch was converted into a conservancy and some land sold to locals to assuage their anger.

Professionals were hired to not only oversee the conservancy, but also cultivate good relations with the community.

Soysambu Conservancy was officially launched on May 1, last year, and former Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Senior Warden Charles Muthui hired as the wildlife and community manager.

It now has rangers with complete uniform, almost similar to those at KWS.

Most of the rangers have been hired from the local community and campaigns to sensitise residents against poaching have been intensified.

Giving back

Delamere Estate has also initiated community projects such as water supply, cattle dips, and scholarships for bright students.

Today, the relationship between the conservancy and the community has improved greatly.

However, some clashes still occur. Mr Richard Gachuki, a resident at Mbaruk, next to Soysambu, says some women have been arrested while fetching firewood.

"Some people walk through the conservancy when they want to get to the other side, but this is viewed as trespass," he says.

Besides being arrested, the community complains that wild animals often stray from the conservancy and destroy their crops.

A large portion of the 48,000- acre conservancy is not fenced.

"We were bitter because they do not compensate us for the losses," he says.

Mr Muthui admits problems between the community and the conservancy are over firewood, trespassing and poaching.

He says they arrest about 10 people weekly for poaching and an average five gazelles are killed in the same period.

He, however, says they have stopped arresting the trespassers or poachers and focus on sensitising the community on the importance of wildlife conservation.

He says they hold regular public barazas to educate the community.

"Poaching cases increase when schools close and we mostly arrest students. Hence, we are targeting them in our campaigns against poaching," he says.

Local jobs

"The community now benefits from wildlife proceeds since Soysambu was converted into a conservancy," he says.

Muthui says lodges are being put up in the facility, which will create employment for the locals.

Some of the upcoming lodges include Ututu, Serena, Mawe Mbili and Mbweha Camp.

Already, projects such as supply of clean water in Kiungururia and a cattle dip worth Sh40,000 have been started.

"This is just the beginning, we will do more once the conservancy starts making money," he pledges.

He says they are also repairing the fence around the conservancy. "This will cost us about Sh85 million, but we will do it in phases," he tells The Standard.

And with the new approach, the community has begun warming up to the conservancy.

Mr Joakim Githuku, a brother-in-law to the slain Njoya, says at first the community felt the Soysambu management was harassing them.

"This is changing now. We attend barazas where we are educated on the importance of conserving animals," he says.

He says they are now reaping benefits through employment.

Gilgil Location Chief Gabriel Kamau says sensitising the community has worked wonders.