By CYRUS OMBATI – The Star
Airport security at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport has intercepted a suspected ivory trafficking attempt after confiscating a walking stick made from an elephant tusk from a passenger in transit.
The Congolese traveller, who had originated from Kinshasa and was headed to Burundi, was stopped on Monday after officials detected the item during screening.
Police said the passenger claimed the walking stick had been gifted to him by his grandfather as a family symbol of power. However, authorities moved swiftly to seize the item, allowing him to continue with his journey as investigations commenced.
Officers from the Kenya Wildlife Service took custody of the ivory, whose value remains undisclosed.
Officials say the interception highlights evolving tactics by traffickers attempting to disguise banned wildlife products as personal or cultural items. They believe the walking stick could have been destined for sale elsewhere.
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The ivory trade remains illegal, yet demand continues to fuel poaching across Africa. Elephant tusks fetch high prices on the black market, with Asia and the Middle East cited as key destinations for illicit wildlife products.
Authorities warn that despite stringent measures, elephants are still being killed for their tusks, with Kenya emerging as a major transit hub for ivory sourced from eastern and central Africa.
To counter the threat, Kenya has intensified anti-poaching efforts, deploying modern surveillance tools such as drones, alongside intelligence-led operations and community awareness programmes.
These measures have yielded notable gains, including zero rhino poaching recorded in 2020 — a first in nearly two decades.
In a symbolic stand against wildlife crime, Kenya in 2016 destroyed 105 tonnes of ivory and 1.35 tonnes of rhino horn in a historic burn led by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Authorities say enforcement remains tight, with enhanced airport screening and tougher laws aimed at protecting wildlife and safeguarding the country’s tourism sector.
