TAITA TAVETA, Kenya – A long-standing request from Taita Taveta County to address the human-wildlife conflict (HWC) that has plagued local communities for years has been answered by the government through the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife.
Affected families got third-phase compensation checks totalling Sh45 million during a public interaction today.
This is a significant milestone that offers many who have waited for years for redress relief, justice, and hope. Following occurrences that began in 2014, the Wildlife Compensation Committee confirmed the claims of 22 families, and the money was granted to them.
Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano spoke at the ceremony, acknowledging the suffering and disruption caused by HWC and reiterating the government’s commitment to bolstering policies and boosting funding to save livelihoods and lives.
“The Ministry is eager to engage in mitigation and preventive measures while also assisting individuals impacted by human-wildlife conflict. The government would increase funding for early warning systems, predator-proof bomas, and electric fences in conflict-prone areas, such as Taita Taveta County,” explained CS Miano.
How wildlife conservancies are a game-changer
To create long-term solutions, she underlined the necessity of cooperation between the national and county governments.
“Our community wildlife conservancies will be enlarged to encourage ecotourism and sustainable land use too, to guarantee sustainability,” added CS Miano.
Taita Taveta Deputy Governor Christine Kilalo urged the ministry to move quickly to finalise the long-overdue 50/50 revenue-sharing arrangement between the county and the national government.
“We have been monitoring the legal proceedings through the IGRTC, but not much has been accomplished thus far. For residents to finally reap the benefits of what was promised, I implore that this deal be completed,” she stated.
The DG lamented that despite President William Samoei Ruto announcing that the Tsavo parks revenue should be distributed equally 50/50, this has not been implemented effectively.
Why Taita Taveta residents should be empowered
Taita Taveta County is home to Kenya’s largest national parks, the Tsavo East and West.
“Since the income share will allow our children to get healthcare, better infrastructure, bursaries, and other vital services, we urge the Ministry to intervene,” added Kilalo.
Additionally, DG Kilalo pointed out that Taita Taveta County is home to 62% of Tsavo parks and recommended that locals be given preference for employment opportunities resulting from park operations.
“We want our people to get those jobs so they can continue to benefit from our natural resources and feel like they are part of the government,” the DG explained.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General John Waweru Kenga told locals that the organisation is dedicated to making sure communities gain from inclusive conservation efforts as well as just recompense.
What is KWS doing about human-wildlife conflict
To reduce the number of wildlife intrusion occurrences, he pointed out that KWS is investing in fast reaction units and early warning systems.
The sluggish compensation process has been criticised by Mwatate MP Peter Shake and his Voi counterpart Abdi Chome, who claim that it takes too long for affected families to receive their money.
To address the growing number of HWC cases, especially in hotspot areas, they encouraged the Ministry to expedite the procedure and put long-term solutions into place.
Adding a local voice to the plea, Grace Mwamachi, a resident of Mwatate, called on the government to visit the interior and heavily affected areas to witness firsthand the struggles residents face.
She reiterated that efforts to resolve HWC must move beyond boardrooms and paperwork to reach the grassroots, where the impact is most deeply felt.
