President William Ruto has announced major reforms in the government’s approach to human-wildlife conflict compensation, assuring Kenyans of faster, more transparent, and technology-driven payouts.
Speaking at Meru National Park during the rollout of Ksh 950 million in compensation for victims in the current financial year, President Ruto emphasized that no Kenyan should wait years to receive justice. “We want to ensure Kenyans are paid within the shortest time possible. This is why we have migrated the scheme from a manual to a digital platform,” he said.
The new system mandates that all wildlife-related loss reports, including deaths, injuries, and crop destruction, be concluded within 90 days, with compensation disbursed in under four months. This is a sharp departure from the past, where some claims took up to eight years to process.
Ruto revealed that in just two years, his administration has paid out Ksh 2.8 billion in compensation, more than what was disbursed over the entire decade between 2013 and 2022, which stood at Ksh 2.7 billion. He credited this to increased budget allocations, better oversight, and digitization efforts.
The President also launched the Wildlife Conservation Prepaid Card, a collaborative initiative between the State Department of Wildlife and Kenya Commercial Bank. The card, available in Elephant, Lion, and Cheetah tiers, donates Ksh 10, Ksh 5, and Ksh 3 respectively per transaction to the Wildlife Trust Fund, turning routine purchases into conservation support.
To further curb human-wildlife conflict, Ruto highlighted additional government actions, including the recruitment of 1,500 Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) rangers, the deployment of 100 new KWS vehicles, and the extension of wildlife fencing by 200km. Plans are also underway to fence Meru National Park, with the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife directed to secure necessary funds.
Ruto also announced a Ksh 250 million facelift for the Meru Mulika Airstrip to boost tourism in the region, alongside broader plans to construct Kenya’s largest conference facility at Bomas, Nairobi.
On other national priorities, the President reiterated the government’s commitment to universal health coverage through the Social Health Authority and announced the hiring of 24,000 new teachers in the current fiscal year, bringing the total under his tenure to 100,000.
Urging a shift from constant political wrangling to development-focused leadership, Ruto called on leaders to concentrate on transformative programmes. “There are people who want to engage us in politics all day, every day. We tell them the time for politics will come. For now, let us focus on development,” he asserted.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki praised the President’s leadership, noting Kenya’s wildlife is a national treasure admired globally. Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano added that under Ruto’s leadership, the sector has experienced unprecedented support in ranger recruitment, conservancy development, and environmental restoration.
As the government steps up efforts to balance conservation with community welfare, President Ruto reaffirmed that citizens must see tangible benefits from wildlife to remain active participants in conservation.
Written By Rodney Mbua
