Kenya, March 31 -- President William Ruto is set to visit Laikipia County to inspect the completion of an electric fence aimed at curbing human-wildlife conflict, according to Laikipia County Women Representative Jane Kagiri.
The announcement, made during an interview on NTV's Fixing the Nation on Monday, March 31, 2025, highlights a key focus of the President's upcoming five-day tour of Central Kenya, which begins Tuesday, April 1.
Kagiri emphasised that the electric fence, part of a broader government initiative to secure wildlife habitats and protect local communities, represents a significant step forward for Laikipia residents.
"The other thing President Ruto will be coming to do in Laikipia is to inspect the completion of an electric fence," she told NTV hosts.
"This fence is part of efforts to prevent human-wildlife conflict, a persistent challenge in our region."
The fence in question is likely the Lariak Forest Wildlife Electric Fence, commissioned by Ruto on April 12, 2024, during a previous visit to Laikipia. At that time, he promised a 100-kilometre barrier to shield communities from encroaching animals, part of a five-year nationwide plan to enclose forests and reserves.
With the project nearing completion, Ruto's inspection underscores his administration's commitment to addressing a decades-long issue that has claimed lives, destroyed crops, and strained livelihoods in Laikipia and beyond.
The Laikipia visit is one of several stops on Ruto's Central Kenya tour, which spans nine counties-Laikipia, Nyeri, Meru, Kirinyaga, Nyandarua, Murang'a, Embu, Tharaka-Nithi, and Kiambu-through Saturday, April 5.
The president's agenda includes commissioning completed projects, inspecting ongoing initiatives, and launching new developments, ranging from affordable housing and road infrastructure to electricity connectivity and water projects.
In Laikipia West, he is also expected to oversee progress on County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPS) and Last Mile Electricity Connectivity initiatives.
Kagiri's comments, however, drew scrutiny during the NTV discussion. When pressed on why the President himself must inspect the fence rather than delegating to local officials or the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, she defended the visit as a demonstration of leadership. "This is a priority project that the President has personally championed," she said.
"His presence ensures accountability and shows the people of Laikipia that their concerns are heard at the highest level."
The announcement has sparked mixed reactions online. Posts on X reflect both support and doubt, with some questioning Ruto's hands-on approach.
"Ruto is visiting them to inspect an electric fence-someone who did botany and zoology is now an electric fence expert," quipped user @stephenmbuvi15, referencing the President's academic background.
Others, however, see the visit as a fulfilment of campaign promises made during the 2022 election, when Ruto pledged to tackle human-wildlife conflict in regions like Laikipia.
The fence's completion builds on earlier efforts, including a Ksh 200 million, 53-kilometre Rumuruti-Marmanet Forest Wildlife Fence launched by Ruto as Deputy President in 2018. That project, too, aimed to safeguard crops and lives from marauding elephants and other wildlife.
Since taking office, Ruto has disbursed over Ksh 4 billion in compensation to victims of such conflicts nationwide, with an additional Ksh 3 billion cleared by mid-2024, alongside plans to deploy 1,500 game rangers to hotspot counties.
Laikipia, a county long plagued by human-wildlife tensions and banditry, remains a focal point for Ruto's administration.
Governor Joshua Irungu, who hosted the President during the 2024 commissioning, has praised the fencing initiatives as a "new beginning" for locals.
The latest inspection comes amid broader efforts to secure the region, including the deployment of 360 National Police Reservists in 2023 and ongoing infrastructure projects like the Ngobit-Withare-Lamuria tarmac road launched in January 2024.
As Ruto prepares to arrive, residents anticipate tangible outcomes. "This fence could change everything-less fear, more farming," said Peter Kiptanui, a farmer near Rumuruti.
Ruto's visit to Laikipia, expected midweek, will likely include engagements with local leaders and a public address, though exact details remain fluid.
The inspection aligns with his administration's dual focus on conservation and community welfare, a narrative he has pushed since unveiling the Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation and Compensation Scheme last year.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.