Victims of human-wildlife conflict in Taita Taveta will receive Sh206 million in compensation from the national government.
The compensation will cover cases involving deaths and property destruction reported between 2014 and 2021.
County leaders, according to Governor Andrew Mwadime, are pushing for more long-term solutions to reduce losses caused by wildlife attacks. Because of the two Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks, human-wildlife conflict is common in Taita Taveta.
“This is a good happening and we are calling for an acceleration of pending claims to ensure that all victims are compesatated,” Mwadime said in an interview on Thursday.
In the Voi constituency, the most affected areas are Mbololo, Ndii, Ngolia, Sagalla, and Kasigau. Other areas affected in Mwatate include Maktau, Bura, Chawia, and Mkuki, while Kishushe, Paranga, and Mlilo are the most affected in Wundanyi.
MCA Wumingu/Kishushe Newton Kifuso stated that if the ongoing conflict is not resolved, it will have a negative impact on the performance of students preparing for national exams.
A person killed by a wild animal is entitled to Sh5 million in compensation under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act. It also provides compensation for people who have been injured, crops that have been destroyed, and livestock that have been killed by wild animals.
Compensation for an injured person is determined by a doctor’s recommendation, whereas compensation for crop destruction is determined by an agricultural officer’s assessment.
According to the county boss, people living near the vast national park are also subjected to harassment by KWS rangers.
“Many residents have been manhandled by KWS officers, particularly those bordering the park. The officers need to create a rapport with the people since they have a great role to play in conservation,” he added.
County commissioner Layford Kibaara, who also serves as the chairman of the county wildlife conservation and compensation committee, stated that the government is committed to resolving all compensation claims in the region.
He stated that they will address all concerns raised and resolve the issue of ties with the residents amicably.
Kibaara stated that the compensation process had been halted due to a lack of funds to compensate all cases that had been evaluated.
The compensation comes just days after County Assembly members protested the area’s increasing human-wildlife conflict.
The 32 ward representatives barricaded the entrance to the KWS Tsavo conservation area headquarters at Sophia estate, forcing police to use tear gas canisters.
They demanded that the KWS senior assistant director in charge of the Tsavo conservation area quickly lead the agency in driving tens of elephants causing havoc in the area back to the park.
