Gov’t To Set Aside Sh1.5 Billion, Pay Victims Of Human-Wildlife Conflict Following Kajiado Killings

KAJIADO, Kenya, Jun, 3 – The long wait for fair compensation for victims of human-wildlife conflict appears to be coming to an end according to Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i.

Matiang’i who visited Masimba in Kajiado county following the killing of four people allegedly by police officers following protests in the area on Thursday said that the national treasury has been directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta to set aside Sh1.5 billion in order to facilitate the exercise.

“The president has this morning directed the national treasury to set aside Sh1.5 billion to pay compensation from 2017 at once (for people affected by human-wildlife conflict) everyone must be paid. We agreed to look at the list for those whose payments have been delayed so that they are paid at once,” said the CS.

Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku has also urged the government to honour its commitment and end victim’s suffering.

“We have spoken with Matian’g’i and we hope to address compensation issues, drought because families are in need of food, relocating wild animals from our community, reopening of schools and even calling on KWS to employ our children as game scouts,” said Lenku.

While condoling with the family of the deceased Matiang’i said that he was not ‘conducting PR stunts’ but rather seeking solutions to the challenges affecting residents while insisting officers found culpable will face the full force of the law.

“We are here because of sorrow following what happened here, as a government we are disgusted by what happened,” said Matiang’i.

Last month, the national assembly said that the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) owes victims of human-wildlife conflict Sh2.6 billion in outstanding compensation claims dating as far back as 2017 with Sh606 million only being allocated for compensation in the Financial year 2022/23.

The National Assembly’s Environmental and Natural Resources Committee observed that the monies set aside were insufficient.

Over the years, reports have indicated residents living near game parks and game reserves are those met affected by the conflict.