The Kenya Wildlife Service assistant wardens and rangers are finalizing rehearsals ahead of a pass-out parade scheduled for Tuesday, December 3, 2024.

The pass-out will be the culmination of a 6-month training of the more than 1,200 recruits who were absorbed into the service in April.

In a statement on Monday, December 2, 2024, KWS indicated that the recruits had undergone rigorous training and were ready to serve the nation in its conservation efforts.

“Tomorrow, we mark a proud moment as the Passing-out parade for our new guardians of the wild takes place. These brave young men and women have undergone rigorous training, preparing to serve Kenya’s wildlife and humanity with unwavering dedication,” KWS said.

KWS said that the rangers and wardens had exhibited dedication and commitment to conservation efforts in the country and were ready to be deployed to serve in various regions.

Rigorous training

The training for KWS rangers is usually conducted at the Kenya Law Enforcement Academy in Manyani in the Tsavo-West National Park in Taita-Taveta County.

Before the establishment of their own training school, KWS officers were trained alongside military officers in Gilgil at the Kenya Armed Forces College.

All KWS undergo mandatory, paramilitary training at the Law Enforcement Agency in Manyani, after which they get deployed across the eight conservation areas of Tsavo, Eastern, Mountain, Southern, Coast, Central Rift, Northern and Western which are under KWS’ jurisdiction. 

The Kenya Law Enforcement Agency in Manyani was renamed from its original Kenya Wildlife Service Field Training School in 2011 following the introduction of courses that were done by other government agencies including officers of the Kenya Ports Authority.

“It was, therefore, upon the formation of the Kenya Wildlife Service that it became apparent that there was need to establish our own training school principally to promote and harmonize paramilitary training, including wildlife conservation concepts,” a statement by the KWS indicates.

The academy is located within Tsavo West National Park, off the Nairobi – Mombasa Road, 290 km South of Nairobi and 196 km North of Mombasa. 

During its recruitment drive which was conducted in all 47 counties, KWS emphasised the need to have individuals capable of enduring taxing training conditions, given that the Service operates in remote terrains in the exercise of its conservation mandate.