Amend laws to tame human-wildlife conflict, say Taita Taveta MCAs

Taita Taveta MCAs have asked the National Assembly's Committee on Tourism and Wildlife to visit the county promptly to witness residents' untold suffering  from human-wildlife conflict.

In their memorandum to the Parliament, they want the government to amend the current wildlife conservation and compensation laws to enhance the speedy compensation of victims of wildlife attacks.

They said the laws, especially the Wildlife Management and Compensation Act, should be amended to capture compensation for damages caused by some of the animals that are currently not covered in these laws.

They include snakes, scorpions, monkeys, among others.

"This includes considering a change of laws to decriminalise grazing and mining in the park to allow local residents to earn a living.

Facilitation of and availability of anti-venoms in local health centres should also be included in the changes," the memorandum presented to the Parliament on Thursday reads in part.

They further want the government to hasten the release of compensation funds for the remaining affected residents for the period of 2019 onwards, noting that the compensation is long overdue.

The government in August paid some Sh51.5 million to victims of wildlife attack in the county for the period 2014 – 2018 in July 2023.

However, the MCAs noted that some of the residents affected during that period were left out of the compensation list.

"Some of the beneficiaries have not received the funds as it has been difficult to identify the next of kins of the deceased," the memorandum reads.

The county plays host to the twin Tsavo East and West National Parks and has over the years experienced escalating cases of human-wildlife conflict.

The park occupies more than 60 per cent of Taita Taveta county landmass.

The over 22,000 square kilometres park also borders Kitui, Makueni, Kilifi, Kwale, Tana River and Kajiado counties.

It is the oldest and the largest national park in Kenya.

While presenting the memorandum, Assembly’s Committee on Lands and Human-Wildlife Conflict Resolution chairperson Joseph Kennedy Mwalegha, said residents have for many years endured huge losses occasioned by the perennial conflict.

Areas prone to human-wildlife conflict include Kishushe, Kasighau, Maktau, Ndara and Jipe, Mgeno area and Mbololo among others.

"Human Wildlife conflict has caused lots of losses among the community with many fearing venturing into farming due to anticipated destruction by wildlife.

This poses negative economic effects and outcomes to many farmers," the Mwatate MCA said.

The wildlife attacks, he said, have caused an increase in cases of disruption of learning in school thus affecting students' performance.

In their prayers, the committee asked Parliament to pass a legislation to ratify the promise made by the President William Ruto in July that the county will get at least 50 per cent of revenue collected from the national park.

 "We pray that the National Assembly considers legislation that will lead to conversion of a section of the Tsavo National park into a game reserve, and a formula for revenue sharing of the revenue between the counties bordering the park," they said.

They further asked the government to fast track the completion of Mgeno-Kasigau-Bachuma electric fence to keep away wildlife from human settlements to curb the escalating conflict.