FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nairobi, Kenya — 9 January 2026 — Salama Fikira Group today announced that its Chairman, Conrad Thorpe OBE, has been formally gazetted by the Government of Kenya as an Honorary Warden, a volunteer conservation appointment under the mandate of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). The role is conferred by the Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife and is an operational, service-oriented assignment — not a ceremonial title.
Conrad was born and raised in Kenya and grew up immersed in the wildlife-rich landscapes and communities surrounding Nairobi and the greater Tsavo Conservation Area, witnessing firsthand the last free-ranging black rhinoceros in the Tsavo River region in the mid-1970s. He was educated in Nairobi at Loreto Convent Valley Road and Saint Mary’s School before completing tertiary studies in the UK. His early life was marked by close encounters with the natural world, including surviving a near-attack by a Nile crocodile and keeping venomous snakes as a youth, shaping a lifelong commitment to conservation and respect for Africa’s ecosystems. He later pursued a career in the HM Royal Marines, rising from junior ranks to senior officer, serving globally and across several military campaigns, yet always drawn back to Africa. In the 2000s, his passion for wildlife protection and community-linked conservation led him to direct ranger training, operational, and anti-poaching programs in both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya. He currently serves as Chairman of Salama Fikira, a premium risk management company, and supports community-centred initiatives including a Sikh-philosophy-driven “Zero Hunger for Langar” school feeding program, while also serving as a director of Tsavo Trust, reinforcing his belief that conservation cannot succeed without community engagement. His leadership is grounded in principles of fairness, equality, transparency, human development and sustainable growth, with a clear guiding belief: “without community, you have no conservation.”
Honorary Wardens play a frontline role in supporting Kenya’s wildlife protection efforts, reinforcing national priorities to conserve biodiversity, combat wildlife crime, and strengthen resilience in key ecosystems. The appointment reflects Salama Fikira’s long-term commitment to conservation and sustainable development across East Africa.
A Practical Conservation Role with Legal Authority
As an Honorary Warden, Mr. Thorpe will work in support of KWS across enforcement, community engagement, and conservation strategy. The position is grounded in the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013, and includes a clearly defined set of duties critical to protecting wildlife and habitats.
Core Responsibilities Include:
Enforcement and Security
- Supporting KWS efforts to combat wildlife crime, including conducting citizen’s arrests where lawful and surrendering seized illegal trophies to KWS within 24 hours.
Conflict Management
- Assisting in the management of human–wildlife conflict, including participation in Problem Animal Control (PAC), which may include the permitted use of firearms in regulated circumstances.
Community Liaison and Education
- Acting as a bridge between KWS and local communities to strengthen conservation awareness, education, and shared responsibility for wildlife stewardship.
Resource Mobilisation
- Supporting conservation through fundraising and mobilizing national and international partnerships to strengthen protection, research, and community initiatives.
Strategic and Technical Support
- Offering expert guidance in specialized fields that support KWS operations — including veterinary services, piloting, forest conservation, and operational planning.
Ecological Monitoring
- Participating in wildlife censuses, species monitoring, habitat restoration activities, and ecosystem health tracking.
Disaster Response
- Supporting coordinated responses to environmental emergencies, including wildfires and habitat-related disasters.
Voluntary Service for the Public Good
Honorary Wardens serve on a voluntary basis and receive no salary or remuneration from KWS. Appointments are typically issued for a three-year term, with wardens provided official identification and authorized uniform for use during official duties.
Reinforcing Salama Fikira’s Commitment to Conservation
Salama Fikira Group has long supported conservation and sustainable development initiatives across East Africa, including efforts that strengthen ecosystem resilience, community-based conservation, and responsible land stewardship. Mr. Thorpe’s appointment reinforces the Group’s belief that conservation is not peripheral to progress — it is foundational to stability, economic prosperity, and intergenerational wellbeing.
“This appointment is both an honour and a responsibility,” said Conrad Thorpe OBE, Chairman of Salama Fikira Group. “Kenya’s wildlife heritage is a global treasure, and safeguarding it demands practical action, sustained collaboration, and community partnership. I look forward to serving alongside KWS and supporting efforts that protect both wildlife and the livelihoods that depend on healthy ecosystems.”
About Salama Fikira Group
SF Group is a unique company. At its heart it has a core of driven men and women who desire to deliver quality over quantity, to temper risk against reality, fear against fantasy and threats against vulnerabilities. SF Group delivers temporal risk management with the lowest possible footprint and profile, that leverages off our unique cultural and market penetration and understanding. We take the business of risk to be central to what we do. We map, understand, rehearse and integrate our support so as to de-risk the environment. We believe that fundamentally risk is all about one thing – people
