State verifies compensation claims of wildlife attack victims

When Equity Bank Group Managing Director Dr James Mwangi handed a Sh960 million dummy cheque for disbursement to victims of Human-Wildlife Conflict to President William Ruto. [File, Standard]

Victims of human-wildlife conflict in Laikipia County have decried the delay in the disbursement of the Sh900 million compensation.

Residents led by Joyce Mwai told Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu that human-wildlife conflict remains a major threat in villages and to school-going children in the county.

"The wildlife menace in Nginyii, Kihato and Njogu ini is a major problem, crops have been destroyed and scores killed by elephants among other challenges caused by the animals in the absence of an electric fence," said Mwai.

The governor said a team has been dispatched to help fast-track the verification process and disbursement of the money to the victims.

Speaking in Nanyuki town on Sunday night during a televised interaction with residents, Irungu said a team of youth have been mobilised by the national and county governments to gather information on human-wildlife conflict.

"The county and national governments are committed to disbursing compensation money to the victims who have suffered as a result of human-wildlife conflict which has been a thorn in the flesh in Laikipia county," he said.

A month ago, President William Ruto launched a compensation scheme for damages arising from human-wildlife conflict and revealed that in 2022, compensation claims stood at Sh7 billion for the 2014 and 2023 period where only Sh4 billion has been paid.

Simon Mwangi, one of the youths assigned to verify the compensation claims said they were currently visiting villages across the county.

"The youth have been assigned motor vehicles to move around to verify and analyse the compensation claims," said Mwangi.