The government has disbursed Sh 32 million towards compensation of thirty-two victims of human-wildlife conflict in Siaya and Kisumu counties.
Speaking during the disbursement of the cheques to the victims in Bondo, Conservation Secretary, State Department of Wildlife, Dr. John Chumo, disclosed that 17 of the victim beneficiaries are from Siaya County, while 15 are from Kisumu County.
“We are giving cheques to victims of human-wildlife conflict in this region, either to those who lost their loved ones to wild animals attack, were maimed, or whose crops were destroyed, or animals killed by wildlife, because it is the responsibility of the government, under the Wildlife Management Act, to compensate victims for their loss,” Dr. Chumo said.
The Conservation Secretary observed the importance of coexistence between humans and wildlife, noting that the country needs both humans and the wildlife for both social and economic prosperity.
“Besides compensation, we are also here to talk to Wananchi about the need for peaceful co-existence with wildlife. Humans are important to the country, but protection of wildlife is key to sustaining our tourism sector as a country,” he stressed.
Dr. Chumo further disclosed that the government is committed and doing its best, to clear all the current backlog of compensation payments to victims of human wildlife conflict across the country by the end of 2027.
“When this Administration took over, there was a unpaid claims backlog of over Sh 4 billion but the government has been paying Sh 1 billion to victims of human wildlife conflict annually since 2023 and its expected that by the end of next year, the backlog will be cleared and payment of compensations would be up to date with the claims,” Dr. Chumo said.
He revealed that the government’s budget for compensation of victims of human-wildlife conflict in the current fiscal year is Sh 1.4 billion and assured victims whose claims are still being processed to exercise patience.
Dr Chumo was flanked by Kenya Wildlife Assistant Director-In-Charge of Kisumu, Mr Hussein Halake and Siaya County, Warden Sheila Ochieng, who all underscored the need for mitigating human wildlife conflict, to avoid loss of life and encouraging peaceful co-existence between the wildlife and humans.
Halake stated that Kenya wildlife service is currently involved in sensitisation campaigns to educate the public of importance of co-existence with the wildlife, to reduce conflict, adding that compensation is a last resort in the conflict management.
Ochieng asked residents of Siaya County to reduce human wildlife conflict by not encroaching on riparian lands where they are attacked by crocodiles or their crops destroyed by hippos.
She added that the government is in the process of opening an outpost office for Kenya Wildlife at Usigu division,Siaya County to avail services closer to the people, because of increased incidences of human wildlife conflicts involving hippos, crocodiles and hyenas in the area.
By Brian Ondeng
