Communities in Kilifi County have received over KES 60 million in compensation for losses linked to human–wildlife conflict, marking a significant step in restoring trust and dignity among the affected families. The compensation covers the period between 2014 to October 2020, clearing part payments for victims.
Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano led the cheque issuance ceremony in Marafa, Magarini Constituency noted that compensation is a constitutional right under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act. She emphasized the government’s resolve to translate policy into tangible benefits for citizens, highlighting more than 1,300 human–wildlife conflict cases reported in Kilifi County since 2021. The national government has already disbursed KES 2.8 billion in compensation, with an additional KES1.36 billion being processed. The Cabinet Secretary outlined a six-pillar prevention strategy, including corridor fencing, modern early warning systems, and enhanced ranger presence to curb human-wildlife conflict. She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to uplift communities through Corporate Social Investment projects such as building classrooms, distributing water tanks, and supporting local development.
Kenya Wildlife Service Board Chairman Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Koipaton reinforced the Board’s pledge to guide KWS towards becoming a more community-oriented, solution-driven institution anchored in transparency, partnership, and innovation. He assured the community that the Board is actively engaged in reviewing and supporting stronger measures to protect both people and wildlife, adding that inclusive, people-led conservation remains central to KWS’s mission.
KWS Director General Prof. Erustus Kanga, acknowledged the hardship caused by recurring wildlife incursions in Ganze, Magarini, and Vitengeni, pledging KWS’s unwavering commitment to protect communities while conserving Kenya’s natural heritage.
He confirmed the deployment of a fully equipped Problem Animal Management Unit (PAMU) in Kilifi to improve rapid response and reduce fear among residents. These interventions, anchored in the KWS Strategic Plan 2024–2028 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, reflect a shared vision: a future where communities and wildlife not only coexist, but flourish together in safety, harmony, and mutual benefit.
Under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act of 2013, KES 5 million is payable for death and KES 3 million for permanent disability while crop loss, livestock predation and property destruction is compensated according to market-rate.
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