NEW KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE DIRECTOR GENERAL ANNOUNCED

Date Published:

Monday, February 1, 2016 - 07:15

Kenya Wildlife Service has a new director general who reported on duty this morning.

Mr Kitili Mbathi, the immediate former CfC Stanbic Holdings chief executive, was appointed to the position following a competitive recruitment process. 

Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Prof Judi Wakhungu, and KWS Board of Trustees chairman, Dr Richard Leakey introduced him to KWS staff and journalists in Nairobi.

Prof Wakhungu said the KWS Director General had well known credentials in leadership and financial management and had just been recruited when KWS need to change direction.

Dr Leakey noted that recruitment was conducted without political underhand dealings or any other form of interference. He said Mr Kitili was a development manager with high level knowledge in financial and leadership matters: “We were looking for the right person. That caliber of person is the one we recruited.”

On the Standard Gauge Railway, Dr Leakey said no firm decision had been made on the proposed routes and that consultations were underway.

Mr Mbathi conceded that he wasn’t well versed with wildlife conservation matters but had some smattering knowledge from his experience in tourism. He called on the public to be patient as he familiarized himself with the issues after visiting parks, communities, rangers and meeting different stakeholders.

“I need a little time to get a grip of the key issues in this industry.  I don’t want to share personal uninformed opinions at this point before I settle down,” Mr Mbathi told journalists who were asking him about strategies to deal with human wildlife conflict and compensation.