First Lady Margaret Kenyatta has today called for the protection of Kenya’s Wildlife Heritage
The First Lady said our unique wildlife heritage sets the country apart from the rest of the world & should be accorded special protection for the sake of the economy & future generations.
She described Kenya’s expansive wildlife species as a special gift from God to the country.
The First Lady said Kenyans will have failed their country and future generations in a big way if they won’t be able to secure their elephant and rhino population from extinction
The First Lady also paid tribute to the late William Holden at the 35th anniversary of WHWF and described him as a great champion of conservation work.
She also commended Stefanie Powers the President of WHWF for protecting Holden’s legacy through the work of the Foundation
First Lady Margaret Kenyatta said the Foundation’s education centre along with the activities it supports is an exemplary demonstration of the sustainable utilisation concept that helps communities to protect a resource, while at the same time reap huge economic benefits from it.
“Today, we remember a champion of wildlife conservation and renowned actor William Holden. We celebrate a man who came to Kenya to visit, fell in love with what he saw in our wildlife and decided to dedicate his life to wildlife conservation through the Mount Kenya Game Reserve.
William Holden was an inspiration to those who knew him, especially those he worked with within the very early years of the wildlife conservation protection. He would be enormously proud to see what the work he started off 35 years ago has become” she said
She also added that today also marked the celebration of a great example of what citizen activism is all about; environmental stewardship and making a difference
She applauded WHWF for its innovative Wildlife Education program that has served over one million people to not only learn about importance of protection & conservation but also to educate and equip communities living with wildlife to participate in wildlife protection.
“As we celebrate the centenary of the life of William Holden and the 35th year of the Foundation, I appreciate all the initiatives and interventions towards conservation of wildlife, which is indeed a befitting tribute to his life” she added