106 Laikipia residents receive Ksh.24.9 million in wildlife compensation

A total of 106 out of 167 residents in Laikipia County are set to receive Ksh.24.9 million under the government's wildlife compensation programme.

The compensation is part of a nationwide initiative by the State Department for Wildlife aimed at compensating victims of human-wildlife conflict, with the programme having been rolled out since 2023.

According to Director of the State Department for Wildlife Vincent Ongere, the Ksh.24.9 million forms part of a larger Ksh.48.9 million earmarked for beneficiaries in Laikipia County, with the remaining claimants expected to receive their payments after submitting the required bank account details.

"Further, 106 beneficiaries have already submitted their bank accounts and will be issued cheques today. So za leo zile tunapeana ni Ksh.24.9 million while the rest will be paid once they have submitted their bank details. KWS inakusanya details zao na wengine watalipwa, zingine zitachukuliwa kwa ofisi ya KWS ile iko hapa,” said Ongere.

Laikipia Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director Wellington Gathungu added, “Lakini pia ningetaka sisi wote ambao tuko hapa katika hiki kikao tujue pia tukona jukumu...majukumu fulani ya kufanya. Jukumu ya kwanza wakati ndovu zinakuja karibu ama hizo wanyama zingine zikikuja karibu, tukona jukumu ya kuweza kuripoti. Tuweze kuripoti katika ile station iko karibu ya KWS, ofisi ya chief kwa sababu tunafanya pamoja.”

Laikipia North Member of Parliament Sarah Korere, who attended the cheque presentation ceremony, urged beneficiaries yet to register to do so in order to access the compensation.

She also called on KWS to step up efforts to contain elephants that continue to destroy farms in the area.

"Kwa hivo kile nataka kusema ni kwamba hata Mungu hakuumba dunia na siku moja na hata hii compensation haitamalizika kwa mwaka huu lakini uki imagine ile backlog ile hii idara imechukua kutoka kesi za 2009 ni kubwa na wamepiga hatua kubwa sana hakuna compensation inaweza rudisha mtu hakuna compensation inaweza linganishwa na maisha ya mtu hii compensation kidogo ni ya kuvuta sis machozi,” said Korere.