Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku has disputed a report by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) on the cause of the deaths of several elephants in Amboseli.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV, Lenku said the county was saddened by the deaths of the elephants but insisted that the animals did not die after consuming cyanide, as had been reported.
“We are very saddened that we have had to lose many elephants in the last few months. You saw KWS bring a story about cyanide, which is completely false,” Lenku said.
The governor claimed that the pest control department had confirmed that cyanide was not available in the country.
“The pest control department confirms that we do not have cyanide in the country,” he added.
Lenku further said researchers based in Amboseli had ruled out cyanide as the cause of the elephant deaths.
“We have two researchers in Amboseli; they confirmed this is not cyanide. It is a grass called emurua, which was the problem,” he said.
Last month, four suspects were arrested as part of an investigation into a spate of mysterious elephant deaths over the past two months at the park.
Ole Lenku’s remarks come as investigations into the rising cases of elephant deaths at the park continue.
