Cash-strapped KWS lacks Sh1billion to compensate wildlife victims
The cash-strapped Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is unable to raise Sh1billion to compensate victims either killed or injured by wildlife.
According to KWS Director-General, Brigadier (Rtd) John Waweru, compensation to the victims either killed or injured amounts to millions of shillings despite the inadequate budgetary allocation.
Waweru said two-thirds of wildlife do not live in the 23 National Parks or the 28 National reserves, a move that leads to human-wildlife conflict.
“We have claims that run to about Sh1 billion but we are only allocated about Sh500 million,” he told Members of Parliament.
The Wildlife Conservation and Management Act schedule states that if death or an injury occurs from an elephant, lion, leopard, rhino, hyena, crocodile, cheetah and buffalo, a victim will be compensated Sh5million payable in installments of three financial years.
The Act also outlines that a farmer whose crops, livestock or property are destroyed from elephant, lion, leopard, rhino, hyena, crocodile, cheetah, buffalo, hippo, zebra, eland, wildebeest, snake and wild dog will be compensated by KWS.
He said the move had been arrived at following complaints by lawmakers that the claims were not extended to families of victims on time.
He instead told the MPs that the ministry was examining ways of partnering with insurance firms to undertake compensation modules to victims of wildlife human conflict.
“The ministry was to partner with insurance firms to settle the claims. The engagement with insurance firms is at the ministerial level,” Waweru noted.
He further said there is no policy or guidelines on Corporate Social Responsibility even as the agency allocates Sh50 million for the same.
While responding to senators’ concerns on whether members of communities living near National Parks and Game Reserves were allowed to graze in the protected areas during drought and famine, Waweru said that the agency does not have any guidelines for watering and grazing purposes of livestock.
He said the formulation of guidelines and policy is a preserve of the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife as provided under Section 102 of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, which the country does not have currently.
“The Act states that the Cabinet Secretary shall make guidelines in consultation with Kenya Wildlife Service with respect to accessing national parks for purposes of grazing and watering of livestock in times of drought and other natural disasters,” he stated.
