Since announcing the plan to fence Mt Kenya and Mau Eburu on December 8 last year, there has been an outpouring of support from Rhino Chargers, corporations and the Kenyan Government to a total value of ksh 128.6 million to date.

The target for completion of the two projects is ksh 1.2 billion over a five-year completion period for Mt Kenya and 18 months for Mau Eburu. The Mt Kenya and Mau Eburu fences to start in 2012.

Materials to the value of ksh 100 million to start the fence build programmes for Mt Kenya – a World Heritage site – and the highly endangered Mau Eburu – one of the 22 forest blocks in the Mau Forest Complex have been committed by the Ministry of Finance in the current annual budget.

In a letter to Rhino Ark signed by the Permanent Secretary of Finance, Mr Joseph Kinyua stated, “The Government is fully committed and will continue to embrace a holistic approach to environmental management.”
Rhino Ark’s Trustees have confirmed a commitment of ksh 24 million from the 2010 and 2011 Rhino Charge funds.

Rhino Ark also confirmed that the two projects would be undertaken using the existing process of technical partnership agreements with fence build partners – the Kenya Wildlife Service and working in close collaboration with the Kenya Forest Service through regular joint meetings.

Resource mobilization and materials procurement is in progress with a plan to start construction work as early as possible in 2012 for both Mt Kenya and Mau Eburu.