Oscar-winner Julia Roberts is to star in a movie about renowned Britishwildlife conservationist Joan Root, who was murdered at her home in Kenya last year, it was reported Monday. This will of course put Kenya once again in the limelight for all the wrong reasons, I can already see the scenes in the movie, some hungry semi dressed Africans working for the mighty ' Mzungu' Many capital cities in our world today struggle with security issues and Kenya is not exempt. Crime has tremendously increased in this beautiful nation despite sound economic growth. The Government has and continues to struggle to assure both its citizens and visitors of their security
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According to Variety, "Pretty Woman" and Erick Brockvich" star Roberts will produce the film and play Root, who was slain aged 69 in January 2006 in the Kenyan Rift Valley.

Root was famous for her conservation efforts and kept several species of animals, including waterbucks, dik diks and birds, on her compound where hippos were known to gather.

With her ex-husband, Alan, she made several acclaimed nature documentaries in the 1960s, 70s and 80s including "Balloon Safari", in which they used innovative aerial techniques to capture Kenya's wildlife and landscape.

The Variety report said the new film would focus on Root's early life with her husband.

Roberts has not appeared in an acting movie role since her appearance in "Ocean's 12" in 2004, the year she gave birth to twins.

Source: Kenya London News - Thursday, 23 July 2009 http://kenyalondonnews.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=126&Itemid=44