The Malindi Sub County Security Committee has launched an investigation into allegations of mismanagement at the Kipepeo butterfly farming project based at the Gede Museum. The inquiry follows complaints from butterfly farmers who claim they are not receiving fair compensation for their labor and are left out of key decisions regarding the community-run project.
Assistant County Commissioner Irene Munyoki, alongside Sub County Police Commander Linton Mudavadi and other security officials, met with the farmers and the museum’s curator, Husein Adan, who also manages the Kipepeo Project. The committee aims to resolve the conflict by listening to both sides before delivering a verdict.
The butterfly farmers allege that they are paid less for the export of butterfly pupae compared to previous years. Despite the US dollar strengthening against the Kenyan shilling, prices for pupae have decreased. Farmers also accused Mr. Adan of removing key oversight committees and working with a small group of individuals, leaving them excluded from the project’s operations.
“We will review all the evidence and arrive at a well-thought-out solution,” said Ms. Munyoki. However, she emphasized that only the National Museums of Kenya could transfer the curator, following due process.
The tensions escalated after a peaceful protest by butterfly farmers and beekeepers, prompting the security committee’s intervention. Farmers demand a thorough audit of the project’s finances, with some calling for Mr. Adan’s removal, citing strained relations with the community.
The Kipepeo Project, initiated in 1997, was established to support conservation efforts in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest by providing sustainable livelihoods to local residents through butterfly farming. However, farmers now feel disenfranchised, with some claiming the project is no longer profitable due to restrictions on forest use and challenges posed by wildlife in the area.
The security committee’s investigation is ongoing, with further developments expected as both sides await the committee’s findings.
