Encroachment of King'wal swamp endangers rare Sitatunga antelopes

Drought and wildfires are ravaging the canopy of reeds in the swampy area at the heart of Nandi.

Dark clouds of smoke are hovering over the King’wal area, a vast water tower that was once teeming with indigenous trees and aquatic reeds, a perfect sanctuary of rare Sitatunga antelopes.

Kingwal swamp is now a pale shadow of its former self. For two months, fire has destroyed the swamp.

It is not only the fire that threatens the water catchment area. Locals have also encroached on the peripheral areas, turning them into grazing fields and farms.

A spot check reveals that the residents living along Kingwal Swamp have invaded the sections of the riparian land, including Mateget, Kapchumba, Kimondi, and Kapkong’any.

Patrick Kimutai, one of the residents living along Kingwal Swamp, revealed that some farmers have set the reeds on fire to pave the way for agricultural activities ahead of the onset of rains in the region.

“Some of the residents are secretly setting ablaze the reeds, and it has been challenging for the security apparatus to arrest them. Most of the fires are started in the evening away from the human settlements,” he disclosed.

The degradation of the water tower has devastating ripple effects on the rare Sitatunga, which have inhabited the 20 km lush reeds that have streams that feed the Kimondi River in Chesumei.

Initially, the county government imposed a water catchment policy that banned agricultural activities and planting of Eucalyptus trees along the swampy area. But residents have taken advantage of the security lapse to encroach on land reserved for the Sitatunga sanctuary.

Some of the antelopes have migrated to the neighbouring marshy areas, including Kipsamoite forest and private lands, with experts warning that the vulnerable semi-aquatic herbivores are on the brink of extinction.

It is estimated that between January and February 2025, more than 50 acres of land have been destroyed by fires. Among the affected areas are Kimondi, Kapchumba, and Belekenya, the sections of Kingwal swamp suspected to have been burnt by the locals.

The community scouts claimed that the fires have destroyed the Sitatunga habitat and exposed them to external attacks, including dogs and hunters.

A scout who identified himself as Geoffrey for fear of victimisation said there have been unreported cases of poaching in the community and no legal action has been taken against the perpetrators.

“We fear that there is a significant decline of the Sitatunga population; they are no longer seen in most of the areas where they normally graze. They have migrated while others are illegally poached; their meat is believed to be delicious,” he said.

According to the 2021 National Wildlife Census report, Kenya had 473 Sitatunga antelopes. Kingwal swamp consists of 120 living in the marshy stretch of about 250 acres.

CEC for Lands and Physical Planning and Environment, Alfred Lagat, while visiting the affected areas, said that encroachment of wetlands poses adverse effects to the wildlife and environment in the region.

He admitted that the security lapse had caused a violation of environmental protection measures in the community.

“We have noted with concern that dozens of Sitatungas have migrated to private lands as a result of environmental degradation activities. We urge the residents to exercise extreme caution while using fire, particularly during the prevailing dry season and strong winds,” he warned.

Nandi Kenya Wildlife Service senior warden, Augustine Lang’at, said that an investigation is underway to bring to book the suspects behind wildfires along swampy areas.

“We cannot establish the magnitude in which the Sitatungas’ population is affected at the moment until we do our own survey. We have urged our security teams to remain vigilant and report any encroachment cases,” said Mr Langat.