Are the wildlife laws imposed strongly enough to fight poaching in Kenya? (PDF)

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2019 in the subject Law - Penology, , course: L.L.B, language: English, abstract: Kenya has set up a far-reaching administrative system that criminalizes wildlife poaching. Punishments for infringement of the substantive laws and required legal techniques comprise of fines, imprisonment and relinquishment of tools used to perpetuate a wrongdoing. While certain parts of implementing the substantive laws are shared over a few government foundations, it is the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), an organization with full prosecutorial powers that bears the essential duty regarding wildlife. The issue here arises on whether or not the new laws imposed are strong enough to fight poaching or whether the laws should be repealed or replaced again?

The research will contain specific cases and statutes of the law regarding wildlife in Kenya and if they are strong enough to fight poaching and wildlife trade in Kenya. Further, the research shall converse and contrast the current wildlife act and the previous one to see if the laws amended are of any good, and if so, if they reduce poaching, and by how much. If not, it will be discussed whether any new laws can be proposed to do so.

Kenya recently overhauled of the country's wildlife regulatory regime. In December 2013 Kenya enacted the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act (WCMA) 2013. The WCMA repealed and replaced the Wildlife (Conservation and Management) Act, 1976. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) helped coordinate the input of environmental civil society organization views after the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act 2013 was passed. This law was a summit of endeavors spreading over more than 15 years to get a far reaching and comprehensive enactment set up.