SIAYA, Kenya — The government has moved to compensate 52-year-old Charles Osore after a python attacked and killed his dog at Luoka village, Madungu sub-location in Ugunja Sub-county, an incident that sparked national debate on human–wildlife conflict.
The case drew widespread attention after being aired by Citizen TV, prompting a visit by a Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) team led by Grace Kariuki, the Senior Warden for Kisumu and Siaya counties.
Speaking at Osore’s home, Kariuki said KWS officials had visited to support the affected family and to initiate the compensation process, thanking Osore for cooperating with authorities despite the loss he suffered.
“We are here to support Mr Osore and to begin the compensation process. We also appreciate his cooperation with authorities following the incident,” Kariuki said.
KWS assured residents that the government would handle the matter in line with existing wildlife compensation frameworks and stressed the importance of promptly reporting wildlife incidents to enable faster response.
The agency also pledged to conduct community awareness sessions in the area to educate residents on how to safely respond to wildlife encounters and reduce future conflicts.
Osore, popularly known as Mzee Osore, welcomed the government’s intervention, urging KWS to act swiftly and efficiently whenever communities report cases of human–wildlife conflict.
“I thank the government for listening to our concerns, but we ask KWS to respond quickly whenever such incidents are reported,” he said.
Osore captured national attention after killing the constrictor snake that had attacked his dog and taking both carcasses to a local police station, a dramatic act he said was meant to draw attention to the growing human–wildlife conflict in the region.
Residents, led by Alfred Onyango, also welcomed the KWS visit, saying the incident had increased awareness about wildlife conservation and the proper channels for reporting encounters with animals such as monkeys and snakes.
They expressed hope that improved engagement between communities and wildlife authorities would help prevent similar incidents and protect both human livelihoods and wildlife.
