NAIROBI, Kenya – Thousands of Kenyans who lost loved ones, suffered injuries or property damage in wildlife attacks are still waiting for compensation — some for more than a decade — as claims pile up to Sh3.5 billion, exposing deep funding and bureaucratic gaps in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Wildlife Principal Secretary Silvia Museiya Kihoro admitted that over 20,000 claims remain pending, with many victims dying before receiving payment.
“We have people who have been waiting since 2014, and it is now 2025. We began with 2014–2016 claims and are currently processing those from 2020/2021,” said Museiya. “Compensation for later years has not begun.”
Between 2017 and 2021, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) disbursed just Sh3.08 billion, far below the total amount owed.
Despite an annual allocation exceeding Sh900 million, KWS received as little as Sh65 million in 2018 and Sh175 million in 2017, Museiya told MPs.
The PAC, chaired by Butere MP Tindi Mwale, criticised the ministry for failing to prioritise the payments, accusing it of violating the Public Finance Management Act, which requires pending bills to be treated as a first charge in the next financial year.
Teso South MP Mary Emase said it was unacceptable for victims to wait for years while the ministry under-allocates funds.
“If you already know the number of claims each year, why not allocate enough to clear them?” she posed.
Other lawmakers questioned the effectiveness of County Wildlife Compensation Committees (CWCCs), which verify claims before forwarding them to the ministry.
“In theory, these committees exist, but are they actually meeting?” asked Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo, citing discrepancies in official records.
He said the ministry’s report listed only one crocodile-related death in Siaya County, yet there were “at least ten” in his constituency alone.
Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo also accused the ministry of “selective compensation,” noting that several fatal hippo attacks in Busia were never recorded.
In her response, PS Museiya blamed the delays on funding shortfalls and a freeze on committee allowances by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission between 2021 and 2023, which stalled CWCC operations.
She defended the ministry’s planned Sh800 million digital compensation system, saying it will speed up claims once fully operational, and suggested devolving payment authority back to KWS.
“If we can make the process seamless, I’m happy to return the payment role to KWS,” she said.
Museiya added that the ministry is considering revising compensation rates to make payments “prompt and sustainable.”
Lawmakers, however, insisted that victims deserve timely relief. “Delayed justice is no justice,” said one MP, summing up the committee’s sentiment.
