Residents of Loima in Turkana county have expressed concern over their safety after a pack of marauding hyenas attacked their livestock
The residents are now demanding compensation for their losses and asked relevant government agencies to move with speed and investigate the matter to facilitate payments with immediate effect.
Consequently, the Turkana County authorities have responded with speed and launched investigations into claims that several livestock were attacked in Loima Sub-County.
Led by the Director of Natural Resources and Environment, Phoebe Ekal, the county team commenced a fact-finding mission at Lokwatubwa, where most cases had been reported, citing attacks on camels, donkeys, and goats.
“The purpose of this visit was to get a clear picture of the situation on the ground, listen to the concerns of affected families, and assess the extent of the damage caused by the hyenas,” said Ekal during the visit.
Community members narrated how the predators have been breaking into kraals at night, killing multiple animals, and spreading fear among households.
“We are suffering,” said Lobuin Lorinyok, a pastoralist from Lokwatubwa, adding, “Hyenas have become a daily threat. We are losing animals almost every night. We need help.”
Ekal assured residents that their concerns are being taken seriously.
She emphasized that the Directorate will work closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and other stakeholders to explore immediate and long-term solutions to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.
“We understand the impact this has on the community, and we are committed to working with partners to respond appropriately,” added Ekal.
Speaking during the visit, Deputy Director of Natural Resources, Pauline Pusiye, called for calm as investigations and stakeholder engagements begin.
“We urge the community to remain patient as we coordinate with all relevant bodies to ensure the safety of both people and their livestock,” said Pusiye.
The County wildlife compensation committee in July 2025 held a meeting with a view to assessing victims of human wildlife related conflicts, who are eligible for compensation from the national government.
The meeting deliberated on 103 pending claims cases which included human death, human injury, attacks on livestock, as well as destruction of crops by wildlife.
Out of the 103 cases, 35 were pending claims from as far back as 2014, while 68 new cases had never been presented to the committee before.
The county commissioner Julius Kavita reiterated the government’s commitment to compensating victims of human wildlife conflict, but challenged residents to provide accurate and truthful information regarding such incidents.
Some of the challenges in the compensation process included lack of documentary and pictorial evidence in cases of wildlife attacks.
by Peter Gitonga
