Go to hell, Balala tells his detractors

"I will not resign and those who claim my resignation may go to hell!

This Najib Balala, Minister of Tourism and Wildlife, reacted by asking that he resign from the death of 11 rhinos after they relocated to a new shrine at Tsavo East Park

. and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Council which has just been disbanded, chaired by Dr. Richard Leakey.

Mr. Balala has been under pressure since the revelation of rhinoceros death in Nairobi and Nakuru National Parks in June and July.

The relocation of animals was carried out by the KWS and facilitated by the World Wide Fund Kenya

Mr. Balala addressed journalists on Monday, one hour after the Committee on the Environment and Environment. natural resources of the National Assembly. He asked her to explain how the rhinos died at the park.

He said that only President Uhuru Kenyatta could decide his fate because "he is the only one to have named me and he knows that I have the ability to handle the file." Nobody is going to m & # 39;

Dr. Leakey blamed Mr. Balala for endorsing the rhinoceros translocation, which the council he chaired had declined for three years.

However, a release of Leakey's so-called confidential minutes The board of directors – sent by Balala's office in quick succession – indicated that the board had actually approved the move.

This contradicts the press test published earlier by Dr. Leakey, in which he stated: "During the life of the Tsavo rhinoceros translocation issue was raised three times during the three-year period. and each time the council noted that there was a great concern about the lack of vegetation … and the availability of drinking water in the sanctuary.

According to Mr. Leakey, the commission had ordered that no translocation should take place unless the two crucial necessities are dealt with.

He denounced the absence of a successive council, saying that a gap in which important issues of direction and discipline had been left to the Department of Tourism and Wildlife.

The board of directors chaired by Leakey was dissolved on April 17, 2018.

This came the same day as the Union Veterinarians They said that Balala should take responsibility for the death of rhinos.

The union stated that the SC should not use veterinarians as veterinarians who have fulfilled their mandate following the sanction of resettlement.

in which they opposed the dismissal of six officers involved in the resettlement.

Dr. Miheso Mulembani, the union's general secretary, said that the executive arm of the body wanted the SC to rescind its decision with immediate effect, failure to which the body would take serious measures, including immediate withdrawal of all veterinary services in the country.

Mr. Balala last Thursday sent six directors employed by KWS and demoted the Rector General, Julius Kimani. He stated that they had performed their duties casually, which resulted in the death of the rhinos.

According to investigations conducted by an independent investigation, Mr. Balala indicated that there were areas of gross negligence following transfer to the Tsavo site,

Animals died from Multiple Stress Disorder after have repeatedly drunk salt water.

"It is hypocritical for the CS to have launched the translocations and to blame the technical officers," said Dr. Mulembani

He said the licensed veterinarians had been immobilized, loaded, transported , woke up and took care of the animals at the bomas for a whole week until their release in the wild, without incident.

"Their tenure was a success and they had no control over other areas, such as environmental badessment, because they were not within their purview. Speaking during a courtesy call to Mombasa Governor, Hbadan Joho, Mr. Balala said: "In my direction, I decided that I will be right and not be nice. . On rhinoceros, I will stick to what is right. None of those who ask for my resignation have appointed me; It's President Uhuru Kenyatta who has appointed me, so that they can go to hell.

He added, "They want to take control of the parks and start using the emotions of international donors to raise money for their way of life … I will stop it once and for all. "