Bondo: 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.
According to Kenya News Agency, Dr. Chumo stated that the compensation is being provided to victims who either lost loved ones, were injured, or suffered loss of crops or animals due to wildlife attacks. He emphasized it is the government’s responsibility, under the Wildlife Management Act, to compensate these victims for their losses.
The Conservation Secretary highlighted the importance of coexistence between humans and wildlife, stressing the need for both to ensure social and economic prosperity. Dr. Chumo stated that, besides compensation, the government is engaging with local communities to promote peaceful coexis
tence with wildlife, which is crucial for sustaining the nation’s tourism sector.
Dr. Chumo further revealed that the government is committed to clearing the backlog of compensation payments by the end of 2027. He noted that when the current administration took over, there was an unpaid claims backlog exceeding Sh 4 billion. However, the government has been allocating Sh 1 billion annually to address this since 2023, with plans to clear the backlog by the end of next year.
The current fiscal year’s budget for compensation is Sh 1.4 billion, and Dr. Chumo assured victims with pending claims to remain patient. He was joined by Kenya Wildlife Assistant Director-In-Charge of Kisumu, Mr. Hussein Halake, and Siaya County Warden Sheila Ochieng, who emphasized the need for strategies to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.
Halake mentioned that the Kenya Wildlife Service is conducting sensitization campaigns to educate the public on the importance of coexisting with wildlife, noting that compensation should be a last
resort in conflict management. Ochieng urged Siaya County residents to avoid encroaching on riparian lands to reduce conflicts with wildlife such as crocodiles and hippos.
She also announced that the government plans to open an outpost office for Kenya Wildlife at Usigu division in Siaya County to provide services closer to the people due to increased incidences of human-wildlife conflicts involving hippos, crocodiles, and hyenas in the area.
