KWS under pressure over mysterious death of 14 elephants in Amboseli
By Emmanuel Rono, July 28, 2026Kajiado leaders have intensified pressure on the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to speed up investigations into the deaths of 14 elephants in the Amboseli ecosystem and publicly release the findings, warning that the incident could threaten one of Kenya’s most iconic elephant populations.
Led by Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku, the leaders accused KWS of failing to provide timely answers after elephant carcasses involving animals of different ages and sexes were discovered at various locations within Amboseli National Park in June.
Addressing the media after a consultative meeting with KWS officials on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, the leaders said the deaths were unprecedented and had caused anxiety among local communities that have long coexisted with wildlife.
“Park ina kufa. Wiki zilizopita nilitangaza kwamba ndovu kumi na nne wamekufa kwa muda wa wiki tatu. Tukio kama hili hatujawahi kuona,” Ole Lenku said.
Demand for laboratory results
The leaders demanded that KWS immediately release the results of laboratory tests conducted on samples collected from the carcasses.
“Tunataka kupata report, kwa sababu KWS wamechukua samples. Tunataka kujua nini iliua ndovu zetu kumi na nne kwa muda wa wiki tatu. Haijawahi kutokea,” he added.
They also emphasised that the elephants are a shared heritage between the government and local communities.
“Sisi tunalinda wanyama hawa kwa sababu ni wetu. Hawa wanyama si wa KWS pekee; hawa ni wanyama wetu. Eneo hili ni letu, ardhi hii ni yetu,” he said.
KWS: Investigations are ongoing
KWS confirmed that investigations are ongoing and said samples collected by veterinary teams are still being analysed in Kajiado.
KWS Head of Communications Duncan Juma said the agency was awaiting the outcome of the scientific analysis before making any conclusions.
However, Juma questioned the figures cited by some local leaders, although he did not provide an alternative number of elephant deaths.
The dispute has exposed growing tensions between KWS and Kajiado leaders over the management of Amboseli National Park, a globally renowned conservation area famous for its large elephant herds and views of Mount Kilimanjaro.
The leaders further raised concerns over the poor state of roads inside the park, saying the deteriorating infrastructure was affecting tourism and hampering conservation operations.
They also criticised the delayed transition of Amboseli’s management to the county government, claiming the process had stalled despite earlier commitments.
In a sharp attack on KWS leadership, one of the leaders accused the agency of frustrating the transition through legal processes.
“Director General, kama mimi natoa uongozi, sema kesho mimi natoa uongozi. Lakini msifiche mambo yanayoendelea kuhusu Amboseli,” he said.
Governor Lenku has previously argued that local communities should play a greater role in the management of Amboseli because they bear the direct cost of wildlife conservation through human-wildlife conflict and land-use restrictions.