The government has announced a significant boost in efforts to compensate victims of human-wildlife conflicts and implement long-term mitigation measures, including electric fencing and water projects, to curb increasing cases of wildlife encroachment in Taita Taveta County and other hotspot regions.
Speaking during a victims' compensation event held on Thursday at Mwatate, Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano revealed that over Sh3.8 billion has been set aside in the last three years alone to support citizens affected by wildlife incursions across the country.
She stressed that this is the highest allocation ever made for such interventions since the inception of the compensation scheme. "This shows the commitment of President William Ruto's administration to solving the perennial issues of human-wildlife conflict.
We have made strides in the compensation process, and even for those who are yet to receive their payments, the government is fast-tracking the process to ensure they are not left behind," said CS Miano.
