Sh35m released for Taita Taveta wildlife deaths payout

The Government has released more than Sh35 million to compensate victims of wildlife attacks.

Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Wildlife Principal Secretary Margaret Mwakima said the funds would be used to only compensate death cases dating back to 2014.

"We are only compensating death cases caused by elephants, buffaloes and snake bites. Injured victims, livestock lost and people whose crops have been destroyed by wildlife will be compensated at a later date," said the PS.

He added: "We are also mobilising resources to compensate all the victims of wildlife attacks in the country."

Dr Mwakima said the funds had been released to the county wildlife compensation committee to be paid out. The officer did not, however, disclose the number of victims to be compensated.

Chairman of the County Wildlife Compensation Committee John Mlamba disclosed that the region had 702 pending cases.

They include more than 20 deaths, 235 injuries and 452 cases of crop destruction caused by elephants, lions, buffaloes and crocodiles.

The committee, however, said funds allocated to the county were far below what is needed to compensate all victims.

"We have also approved and forwarded 168 cases of injured victims worth more than Sh600 million," said Mlamba.

The Wildlife Compensation and Management Act raised compensation for people killed by wildlife from Sh200,000 to Sh5 million and also have provisions for compensation for crops destroyed and livestock killed by wild animals. The Act says compensation for the injured should depend on a doctor's recommendations.