The government will compensate victims of human-wildlife conflicts within a year if a new Senate bill is enacted.
The Wildlife Conservation and Management (Amendment), Bill, 2023, seeks to alleviate the pain the victims have undergone waiting to be paid.
“The Bill provides a timeline for 12 months for compensation for human death, human injury or crop and property damage caused by wildlife in accordance with the Act,” the Bill states.
The proposed law has been published pending introduction in the Senate for First Reading.
It’s sponsored by Taita Taveta Senator Johnes Mwaruma.
Currently, thousands of victims, some injured and their kin killed more than 30 years ago, are yet to be compensated for the losses.
Reports indicate that the government owes the victims in excess of Sh5 billion.
“The Cabinet Secretary shall, where no appeal has been lodged under this Act, ensure that compensation required to be paid under this Act is undertaken within 12 months of a determination by the respective community wildlife conservation committee,” the Bill states.
The current law allows compensation for death or injury caused by elephant, lion, leopard, rhino, hyena, crocodiles, cheetah and buffalo.
Victims also get compensated if their crops, livestock and property are destroyed by elephants, lions, leopards, rhino, hyena, crocodile, cheetah, buffalo, hippo, zebra, eland, wildebeest, snake and wild dog.
In August, Wildlife PS Sylvia Museiya admitted the incessant delays in the compensation of the victims of human-wildlife conflicts.
Museiya disclosed to MPs that the ministry disbursed Sh958 million for the compensation of the victims in the last financial year.
“Of the Sh958 million, we have compensated Kenyans from 2014 up to 2018, there is still a big backlog,” Museiya said as she pleaded with MPs for more funding.
In the current fiscal year, the department has been allocated Sh1.1 billion for compensation of the victims.
“We are trying to clear the backlog from 2018 to 2020, but I must add because the public is here, we are not paying in full, we are doing it in batches but when we get the money we will clear," Museiya said.
The law provides that death caused by wildlife attracts Sh5 million in compensation while injuries attract Sh3 million.
The proposed law mandates the CS responsible for matters of wildlife, to in each financial year, provide adequate funds for the management of the affairs of each community wildlife conservation committee.
“The CS, shall, in formulating the guidelines, ensure the guidelines comply with the condition that a minimum of five per cent from national parks and national reserves shall be allocated to local communities neighbouring or negatively affected by activities undertaken for the preservation of the national parks," the Bill provides.
The determination of the minimum benefits to be allocated to local communities shall be based on the gross revenue and fees collected with respect to protected area.
“The bill seeks to amend the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, No 47 of 2013, in order to make further provision for the allocation of adequate facilities to county wildlife conservation and compensation committees established under the Act,” the Bill states.
“This is essential to enable counties to perform their county functions as provided under part 2 of the fourth schedule to the constitution,” the Bill states.
The Bill mandates the state to provide support to local communities negatively affected by activities undertaken with respect to wildlife conservation and management.
