Four people have been apprehended as persons of interest in investigations into the deaths of 18 elephants in the Amboseli ecosystem, the Government has said.
Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife Rebecca Miano said investigators were also pursuing an additional individual believed to hold information relevant to the case.
The investigations follow the deaths of 18 elephants, with the first 15 recorded between June 24 and July 24, 2026.
Miano said the Kenya Wildlife Service, working with security, investigative and scientific agencies, intensified inquiries after the deaths were reported.
“Four suspects have been apprehended as persons of interest, and investigators are pursuing an additional individual believed to hold information relevant to the case,” she said.
She said a search in Tikondo, Kimana, within Loitoktok Sub-County, led to the recovery of assorted substances.
The recovered materials included chemicals believed to have been sourced from a neighbouring country. Miano said the potentially toxic and unlabelled materials had been secured for further scientific analysis.
The latest development comes as investigators continue to establish what caused the elephant deaths.
According to Miano, comprehensive field investigations, laboratory analysis and environmental sampling have been conducted.
“Preliminary laboratory results point to the probable involvement of a toxic substance,” she said.
Earlier indications suggested the elephants may have died from cyanide poisoning after ingesting pesticide-contaminated tomatoes sourced from farms adjacent to wildlife habitats.
However, Miano stressed that the findings were not yet conclusive.
“These findings remain subject to further scientific verification before the investigation is deemed complete,” she said.
The Cabinet Secretary also cautioned that the apprehension of the four people and recovery of the materials did not amount to proof of criminal responsibility.
“Although the investigations remain active, the arrest of persons of interest and the recovery of exhibits do not in themselves establish criminal culpability,” Miano said.
She said the Government would allow both investigative and judicial processes to take their lawful course.
Any person found to have unlawfully killed, poisoned or harmed wildlife will be prosecuted in accordance with the law, she said.
Miano described the Amboseli incident as more than a conservation issue involving elephants.
“The Amboseli incident is not solely a matter concerning elephants. Rather, it is a national wildlife conservation and security concern,” she said.
She said the Government was strengthening measures to protect wildlife across national parks, reserves, sanctuaries, conservancies, forests, rangelands, wetlands and coastal and marine ecosystems.
The Ministry, KWS and other agencies will strengthen intelligence-led protection, surveillance, scientific investigations, law enforcement and rapid response in vulnerable areas.
The Government will also enhance monitoring of risks linked to the misuse, illegal application, trafficking or careless handling of hazardous substances that could endanger wildlife, people and ecosystems.
Miano said inter-agency coordination, intelligence sharing and joint operations would also be improved.
The measures are intended to ensure that threats are detected early, investigated professionally and contained without delay, while scientific evidence continues to guide management decisions.
The Cabinet Secretary further emphasised the role of communities living around wildlife habitats.
“Wildlife conservation cannot be confined within the boundaries of protected areas, because wild animals move freely across community, private and agricultural landscapes,” she said.
Miano commended communities in and around the Amboseli ecosystem for their vigilance and cooperation during the investigations.
She said their willingness to share information and support the multi-agency operation showed that communities were “indispensable partners and the primary guardians of Kenya's wildlife heritage.”
The Government will continue pursuing every credible line of inquiry into the elephant deaths while strengthening preventive and enforcement measures.
Miano said those responsible would be held accountable if sufficient evidence was established.
“For now, I assure Kenyans and the international conservation community that the Government remains firmly committed to safeguarding every species of wildlife in every landscape and seascape where it occurs,” she said.
