Wildlife saviour Richard Leakey, hailed as messiah by some, and hated as hell's messenger by others, is now in the thick of Kenyan politics
CONSIDERED one of the world's top
palaeontologists, conservationists and
lately a politician, Richard Leakey has
always been in the centre of controversies in Kenya.
It is his recent foray into politics
after a stormy period as head of the
Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS), that has
shocked many and currently invited bitter criticism.
Leakey is a founder of the latest and
the most controversial OPPOSitiOD polit-ical party in Kenya - Salina. Recently,
he attended the "State ofWorld Forum"
in San Francisco with ex-heads of state
like George Bush of the us,
Mikhail Gorbachev of the
former USSR, Britain's
Margaret Thatcher and
Brian Mulroney of Canada.
The meeting, branded
a think-tank aiming to
create an "Earth Charter"
for AD 2000, pushes Leakey
further into global limelight, Born and raised in a
family of leading palacon -
tologists and archaeologists, he was possessed
exceptional skills and knowledge.
But a highly sensational and potentially libelous publication - Leakey,
The Man - has been scrialised in
the Kenyan media where he was accused
of ensuring that no Black Kenyan
remained close to his field of work.
It is accused that there is little or
no record of Leakey having supported and trained archaeologists and
palaeontologists.
Six years ago, when Kenya's wildlife
fiiced near extinction plagued by heavily
armed poachers and factional soldiers
from the neighbouring states, Richard
Leakey openly campaigned for wildlife
conservation services. It is he who openly clashed and disagreed with the then
minister for tourism and wildlife,
George Muhoho. President Daniel Arap
Moi chose Leakey to head the newly
formed autonomous KWS to tackle poaching.
With government support an
goodwill, Leakeychanged the KWS into a
formidable force, trained and aTM4
like the country's elite Paramilitary arms
eral service unit. Ht so locked horry
with some African na,ions reluctant to
ban ivory trade and elephant culling.
However, at the KWS, Leakey's exit
was linked to his differences with a Pow
erful minister, William Ole Ntimama
from the Maasailand which practical
barbours most of Kenya's and
Tanzania's wildlife. Richard Leakey was
accused of handling donor money cam
lessly.
Leakey was branded a
Mzungu - a White who was a reminder of the
history of white colonial
dominance in Kenya.
As Leakey claims to be
an atheist, his party's
name - Salina, which has
Biblical connotations, v
decried by both Muslii
and Christians, Safina
seen as a faction evolving
out of rivalry within vari
ous opposition parties
and Leakey is portrayed
the evil white aggressor.
To add fuel to fire, Kenya's rabidly
political white community recently sent
a delegation to reassure President M
that it would not help Leakey in his
political ventures.
But Leakey the fighter, has had the
fortune of being baptised by fire. In a
incident smacking of political debauchcry, Leakey was whipped in full view 4
the local and international press wbes,
he accompanied an opposition group
Kenya's fourth largest town, Nakuru,to
visit an opposition politician, Koi
Wanowere.
This generated much sympathy
Leakey, but the opposition leaders chose
to ignore the issue. Leakey is also seen
a high-profile white with a well-funded
party, which raises eyebrows in a coun
try where millions live in abject poverty
Despite the odds being against Leakey, Kenyans, now sceptical of feuding
Positions politicians, seem willing to give him a fair chance.
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