NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenyans who suffer death, injury, or property loss from wildlife attacks will now receive government compensation of up to Sh5 million, following the enactment of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2025.
The new law, signed by President William Ruto last week, replaces the 2013 framework and introduces a two-tier compensation system to address rising cases of human–wildlife conflict, particularly in counties bordering national parks and game reserves.
Under the revised law, victims or their families must file claims within 12 months for injury or death, and within 30 days for losses involving crops, livestock, or property.
At the county level, newly established County Wildlife Compensation Committees will receive and verify claims before forwarding them to a Ministerial Wildlife Compensation Committee for approval.
The ministerial committee will then decide whether to compensate, defer, or reject the claims.
The compensation ceilings are set at Sh5 million for deaths, Sh3 million for permanent disability, and Sh1 million for other injuries. Property and crop damage compensation will be assessed based on the extent of loss.
However, claims will be denied if victims fail to take “reasonable measures” to protect their property or if their land use practices are inconsistent with ecosystem management plans.
The Act also allows dissatisfied claimants to appeal decisions within 30 days to the National Wildlife Tribunal.
“This new structure aims to provide fair, timely, and transparent redress for victims while promoting coexistence between humans and wildlife,” a statement from the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife noted.
Stiffer Penalties for Poaching and Environmental Crimes
The new law also imposes tougher penalties for wildlife-related offences, including poaching, illegal trade, and pollution of protected habitats.
Anyone convicted of trafficking endangered species faces a fine of up to Sh100 million or 20 years in prison, or both.
Manufacturing or selling items made from endangered species can attract a fine of Sh10 million or even life imprisonment.
Similarly, sport hunting of protected animals carries a penalty of up to Sh20 million or imprisonment, while subsistence hunting of non-endangered species without a permit attracts a fine of Sh30,000 or six months in jail.
The Act also criminalizes the possession or sale of bushmeat without a valid permit, with offenders facing fines of up to Sh2 million or three years in jail.
Polluting wildlife habitats is now punishable by fines of up to Sh2 million or five years’ imprisonment, while illegal import or export of wildlife specimens attracts penalties ranging from Sh20 million for ordinary species to Sh100 million for endangered ones.
The government says the law is part of broader efforts to strengthen conservation and address long-standing tensions in communities living near protected areas.
