Four years after leaving the helm of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), anthropologist and Kenyan Parliament member Richard Leakey has been reappointed to the post.

He succeeds conservationist David Western, who left the directorship in September. Leakey first served in the position from 1989 to 1994. Leakey, despite past differences with the government of President Daniel arap Moi, told reporters he believes he has an obligation to Kenya and that "in the hope that I can indeed be helpful at this time, I have accepted the position."

He said he hoped to reduce the deficit of KWS. Leakey also said he would oppose private takeovers of wildlife sanctuaries and take steps to boost wildlife tourism, the country's third-largest revenue producer.