Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta set fire Saturday to the world's biggest ivory bonfire after demanding a total ban on trade in ivory to end the "murderous" trafficking and prevent the extinction of elephants in the wild.

"The height of the pile of ivory before is marks the strength of our resolve," Kenyatta said, before setting fire to the pyres. "No-one, and I repeat no-one, has any business in trading in ivory, for this trade means death of our elephants and death of our natural heritage."