Government Disburse Sh60 Million for Victims of Human-Wildlife Conflicts in Kilifi
Tourism and Wildlife cabinet secretary Rebecca Miano. (Photo By James Mwavuo)
by James Mwavuo
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On Wednesday, July 3, 2025, the government released Sh60.38 million to compensate 24 families in the county whose relatives were killed in wildlife-related incidents between 2014 and 2020.
Tourism and Wildlife cabinet secretary Rebecca Miano presided over the issuance of the cheque at the Marafa Vocational Training Centre in Magarini Subcounty where she emphasised the government’s commitment to restoring dignity and trust among bereaved families.
Flanked by the chairman of the Kenya Wildlife Services Board of Trustees Lt. Gen. (rtd) Walter Raria Koipaton, KWS Director General Prof. Erastus Kanga and the Wildlife Conservation Secretary in the State Department for Wildlife, Mr. John Chumo, the CS noted that human-wildlife conflict remains a pressing issue in Kilifi, with over 1,300 incidents reported since 2021.
She regretted that the conflicts had resulted in fatalities, injuries, and widespread destruction of crops.
“While wildlife is a treasured gift to our nation, we must take proactive measures to prevent these adverse interactions,” she said. “We are working to ensure animals remain within designated habitats, allowing residents to farm and conduct business without fear.”
To improve the compensation process, she said the ministry had launched a digital platform that enables affected individuals to file claims electronically with a view to accelerating the payment process and curb fraudulent reporting.
On efforts to curb future incidents, the CS announced that plans were underway to prioritise construction of an electric fence along the Tsavo East–Kilifi boundary within the next one year even as the Ministry and KWS deploy modern surveillance tools to facilitate rapid response.
“Before the fence is finalised, we shall deploy modern surveillance tools such as drones, mobile technology, and cameras to facilitate rapid response,” she said. “We are also engaging community leaders to develop grassroots-based solutions.”
A dispatch from the Ministry and KWS communication teams indicated that the government had already disbursed Sh2.8 billion in compensation nationwide to families affected between 2014 and 2020, with an additional Sh1.36 billion under the way.
Local leaders praised the government for the initiative, but emphasised the need for an electric fence to be erected along the Tsavo East National Park and Kilifi County boundary to prevent elephants from straying from the park and invade homes and farms.
The wildlife menace is reportedly rampant in Ganze, Kaloleni and Malindi Sub Counties.
They included National Assembly deputy majority leader Owen Baya, Kilifi Deputy Governor Flora Mbetsa Chibule, Kilifi Woman Representative Gertrude Mbeyu, Ganze MP Kenneth Kazungu Tungule and his Kaloleni counterpart Paul Katana, and immediate former Magarini MP Harrison Garama Kombe.
Board Chairman Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Koipaton said the board would guide KWS towards becoming a more community-oriented, solution-driven institution anchored in transparency, partnership, and innovation.
Prof Kanga acknowledged the hardship caused by recurring wildlife incursions in Ganze, Magarini, and Vitengeni, and pledged KWS’s unwavering commitment to protect communities while conserving Kenya’s natural heritage.
He confirmed the deployment of a fully equipped Problem Animal Management Unit (PAMU) in Kilifi to improve rapid response and reduce fear among residents.
“These interventions, which are anchored in the KWS Strategic Plan 2024–2028 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, reflect a shared vision: a future where communities and wildlife not only coexist, but flourish together in safety, harmony, and mutual benefit.”
Kilifi County commissioner Josphat Biwott called for the demarcation and gazzeting of wildlife migratory corridors from the Tsavo national Park to other conservation areas which he said had a correlation with the park.
