Ban Ki Moon who is the United Nations Secretary General adopted a six-month-old lion cub in Nairobi Kenya and he later named it Tumaini, this was in Nairobi National Park. Tunaini means Hope in Kiswahili, in the hope that man could learn to live in harmony with nature.
He said he adopted this lion cub in the hope that all human beings and wildlife can live in peace and harmony and that as human beings we should know how to live harmoniously with our mother nature is important. The adoption was at the Nairobi National Park which is the only park in the world located in an urban centre.
He then presented a cheque of worth Sh703, 170 to the Kenya Wildlife Service for its upkeep over the next three years and then said that he sincerely hopes that this lion will grow healthy and strong and even fierce and be able to have her own cubs in the near future to make this wildlife rich and healthy.
Idza Dzilla, the officer in charge of adoptions at the park told Capital FM News that Tumaini was rescued by KWS rangers in December in the Nairobi National Park but her parents never turned up even after the 3 days after its rescue. Moon told reporters Tumaini was the third animal to be entrusted into his care since his taking up the post of UN Secretary General in January 2007.
Ban joins sprinter Hussein Bolt and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on the list of high profile personalities who have adopted cubs under the care of the KWS. Bolt adopted the cheetah Lightning Bolt when she was three months old in 2009 as did Odinga who adopted an eight month old lioness that named Agwambo which means power or King in his native Dholuo.
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