KWS Makes Ksh60 Million Payout to Section of Kilifi Residents

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has disbursed over Ksh60 million in compensation to residents of Kilifi County.

In a statement on Wednesday, July 2, KWS said the payout, covering claims from 2014 to October 2020, was directed primarily at families who lost loved ones to wildlife attacks.

The cheque issuance ceremony was held in Marafa and presided over by Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano, alongside KWS Board Chairman Walter Raria Koipaton and KWS Director General Erustus Kanga.

Miano emphasized that the compensation was not a goodwill gesture but a legal entitlement enshrined in law.

"Nationwide, the current administration has already disbursed KSh 2.8 billion in compensation, with an additional KSh 1.36 billion under processing - a demonstration of sustained government goodwill to ease the burden on affected communities,” the statement read.

Highlighting that Kilifi County alone has reported over 1,300 human–wildlife conflict cases since 2021, Miano reaffirmed the government's commitment to addressing the issue holistically. 

She announced a six-pillar prevention strategy that includes measures such as fencing wildlife corridors, deploying early warning systems, and increasing ranger presence.

Beyond conflict management, Miano noted the government’s broader development agenda. 

She detailed ongoing Corporate Social Investment initiatives like the construction of classrooms, provision of water tanks, and support for community infrastructure, aimed at uplifting the affected areas.

Koipaton echoed the Cabinet Secretary’s sentiments, assuring residents of KWS’s evolving role in inclusive conservation. 

“He assured the community that the Board is actively engaged in reviewing and supporting stronger measures to protect both people and wildlife, adding that inclusive, people-led conservation remains central to KWS’s mission," the statement added 

Kanga addressed the devastating impact of wildlife incursions in areas such as Ganze, Magarini, and Vitengeni. 

“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, 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," the statement further read.