Principal Secretary, State Department for Wildlife

A young woman who comes from a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural background born to a small hunter-gatherer indigenous community of mukogodo forest in Laikipia North called Yiaku in the late 80s. She is hardworking, very passionate and competent in her work and a good team player. Additionally, she is a creative and critical thinker who strongly believes that the solutions to a better community and country lie within us and just need a little activation and attention.

Ms. Museiya holds a Bachelors of Law (LL. B) and a Bachelors of Education (B.Ed.) from the University of Nairobi; a Diploma in human Rights and International Advocacy from Colombia University New York School of Law and she is an alumnus of Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) 2007.

Prior to her appointment as the Principal Secretary, State Department for Wildlife, Silvia was:

1. A  Member of County Assembly (MCA) in the Nairobi City County Assembly where besides oversighting the Nairobi City County Government she served diligently  as the Chairperson of Education Committee.
2. A running mate to Hon. Thuita Mwangi Gubernatorial Jubilee party primaries for Laikipia County in 2017
3. Appointed to chair Indigenous Peoples’ National Steering Committee on Climate Change (IPNSCCC) and subsequently nominated by 31 Indigenous Peoples’ organizations across Kenya and Tanzania to sit in the 9-member climate change council chaired by the president
4. An author and editor of various publishing houses such as East Africa Educational Publishing house, East Africa Educational Publishers (EAEP), Longhorn Publishers and Law Africa. To that end, she has published two books with EAEP that are currently used in Rwanda, Poetry and literature contributions to Longhorn Form Four book, and an Elections training manual by Law Africa
5. A Programs Officer, Board member, Trainer of Trainers and volunteer with various non-government organizations (NGO’s) such as MPIDO (Mainyoito Pastoralist Integrated Development Organization), RETO women, IMPACT (Indigenous Movement for Peace and Conflict Transformation), Pastoralist Development Network of Kenya (PDNK), CEDMAK (Center for Development of Marginalized Communities in Kenya), URAIA Trust, Koija Trust and Group ranch among others
6. TSC English/Literature and History/Government Teacher at State House Girls’ High school and Laikipia Air Base Mixed Secondary School

In her free time, PS Silvia enjoys writing, creative arts especially films, teaching and training, Community work, Traveling and Volunteering for a cause.

Chairman

Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Walter Raria Koipaton, MGH, CBS,OGW “ndc” (K) ‘psc’ was appointed chairman of Kenya Wildlife Service Board of Trustee on 20th December, 2022 by HE President Dr. William Ruto. Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Koipaton served as the Commander of the Kenya Army following his promotion and appointment on 13 July, 2018. He was enlisted into the Kenya Defence Forces as an Officer Cadet on 14 May, 1982 and Commissioned as an Officer on 14 April, 1983.

Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Koipaton holds a Diploma in International Relations from the University of Nairobi, a Bachelor of Science in Peace and Conflict Studies from the African Nazerene University and is a graduate of the National Defence University, Washington, USA.

Director General

Dr. Erustus Kanga is the Acting Director General of Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). Dr. Kanga has over 20 years’ experience in biodiversity conservation, climate change vulnerability assessment and mapping, bio-enterprises, and community livelihood support. He has a long trajectory in biodiversity conservation, including (five) 5 years of service as the Secretary for Wildlife at the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife & Heritage, and 16 years of extensive work experience with the Kenya Wildlife Service, where he was responsible for Biodiversity Research and Monitoring across the Protected Areas. 

In 2017, he was awarded the Head of State Commendation (HSC) in recognition for his outstanding and distinguished services in the field of biodiversity conservation.

Dr. Kanga attained his PhD in Natural Resources Conservation from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands in the year 2011. He has authored over 30 publications, and is driven by the passion to work towards the core purpose of biodiversity conservation.

Board Member

Helen Gichohi is the immediate past Ambassador for Conservation in Africa for Fauna and Flora International where she serves on a part time basis until December 2023. She joined FFI from Equity Group Foundation where she had served as managing director from 2012 to 2017. Prior to that, she spent 11 years with the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), where she served the first AWF President from 2007 to 2012.

She joined as the first director of the African Heartlands Program in 2001 rising to become the Vice President for Programs in February 2002. She led the expansion of AWF’s program in Africa as well as the move of the organization’s headquarters from Washington, DC to Nairobi. Before joining AWF Helen served as the managing director of the African Conservation Centre. Helen has received numerous honours, including three presidential awards, the Order of Grand Warrior and two Moran of the Order of Burning Spear for her distinguished service to conservation and development in Kenya.

She holds a doctorate in ecology from the University of Leicester in the UK, a Master of Science in Biology of Conservation from the University of Nairobi, and a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from Kenyatta University. She currently serves on the boards of Olpejeta Conservancy, Nawiri Group, Equity Group Holdings Limited and Bamburi PLC and the Advisory Boards of Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation and Mpala Research Centre. She is a Yale School of Forestry Dorothy McCluskey Fellow as well as CATTO Global Environmental Fellow of the Aspen Institute in Washington DC.

Board Member

Ms Kuraru is a Senior Assistant Inspector General of police and represents the Inspector General of the National Police Service in KWS BoT. Rosemary is an alumnus of the prestigious National Defence College of Kenya. She holds an MBA (International Relations & Diplomacy) from the University of Nairobi, a Bachelor of Science in Counselling Psychology from Mt. Kenya University and a Higher Diploma in Psychological Counselling from Kenya Methodist University.

Board Member

Ms Mercy Muthoni Maina works in the State Department for Devolution and represents the Principal Secretary State Department for Devolution in the BoT. She is a Bachelor of Commerce graduate (Accounts and Auditing) and has Masters in Business Administration (Finance) among other short term courses in her career path. Currently, she is an Assistant Director, Policy and Research. She has 26 years’ wealth of experience in Public Service specializing in Public Policy, Local Governance and Finance.

Board Member

Peter is the chairman, (CEO) and founder of world leaders of today (Stand Up Shout Out) based in 39 counties and Lead Coordinator for APAC youth based in 20 plus African Countries. He was ranked top 35 under 35 in the national award youth of the year, 2020. Peter serves as an honorary warden of KWS for the southern conservation area besides being a Nairobi National Park Management Committee Board member. He is an astute conservationist with 11 years experience and has accomplished many feats, including being the youth representative for UN World Wildlife Day, 2020 at the United Nations headquarters in New York and  was part of the Kenyan delegation to Geneva Switzerland for the CITES COP 18 representing the youth among other achievements.

Board Member

Tom Silvester is an entrepreneur, rancher, and tourism operator with a degree in Agriculture from the University of Edinburgh. Since 1992, he has been working on a large-scale tourism, ranching and conservation project in Northern Kenya. He founded Loisaba in 1998, and has been responsible for creating a successful, internationally recognised wildlife conservancy.

As Loisaba’s CEO, he oversees a labour force of over 400, between two and three thousand herds of livestock, security, wildlife conservation, maintenance of infrastructure and the implementation of new projects contributing to research, conservation and revenue. He also provides support to neighbouring communities through provision of health and education programmes, livelihood support, grazing plans for their livestock and security services.

Through his position as vice chairman of the Laikipia Conservancies Association, Tom supports landscape level conservation, and engages with government on policy development. He also sits on the Executive Committee of the Agricultural Employees Association, and is a Board of Governors member of Laikipia North Technical and Vocational College.

Board Member

Hon. Francis Chachu Ganya is a former Member of Parliament for North Horr constituency in Marsabit County where he was elected for three consecutive terms from 2008- 2022. He holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from George Mason University Virginia, USA with a focus on Environmental Policy and Management, a Post Graduate Diploma in Non-Profit Management from the same university, and Bachelor of Arts from St. Lawrence University New York, USA. He has worked as a Director Northern Range Lands Trust, Executive Director for Pastoralist Integrated Support Programme, Project Researcher for Management Systems International, and United States Forest Service where he served as Wilderness & Back Country Ranger