KUKI GALLMAN’S LODGE BURNED DOWN BY CONSERVANCY INVADERS
(Posted 29th March 2017)
(The Mukutan Retreat – no more)
Mukutan Retreat on the Laikipia Conservancy was burned down earlier today according to information received from Kenya.
The lodge is owned by renowned artist and conservationists Kuki Gallman and the burning and conservancy invasion is therefore bound to raise yet again international attention to a problem which the Kenyan government has ignored for too long and then done too little to not just contain but resolve the problem of marauding raiders.
(Some images of the posh Mukutan Retreat Safari Lodge and surroundings now burned to the ground)
Ahead of the elections in August this year is it obvious now that treading softly is the order of the day to avoid upsetting voters but the result has been killings of farmers and ranchers while at least half a dozen safari lodges and camps have been burned down, thankfully without the loss of live to any tourists at this stage.
Ahead of the Easter period is it understood that there is now a level of apprehension by local and international visitors to come to this part of Kenya over fears of safety and security.Aspiring politicians and those fighting for re-election have been suspected to whipping up sentiments among local herders whose herds are suffering from a lack of water due to the ongoing drought but have cunningly exploited sentiments and been covertly fanning this level of violence and crime while seeking votes.
Said a regular conservation and tourism source from Nairobi: ‘What does it take for the government to do what needs to be done? How much more property of Kenyans needs to be destroyed before this is really taking seriously? I think only when a tourist falls victim to this will the real awakening begin. Yes some action has been taken but there are not nearly enough personnel in the area to prevent such invasions and for sure there is no airborne rapid reaction force in place which could deploy at an instants notice and fly in and land armed government forces. This is not good for tourism at all!‘.
As and when available will more updates be posted in follow up reporting.
Find out more details about Mukutan Retreat via the link shown below:
http://gallmannkenya.org/mukutan-retreat/
