The government has released Sh18.4 million for payment to families of people killed or injured by wildlife across the country.The cash will be paid to victims and their next of kin by district commissioners in eight conservation areas.
The payment was approved by the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife at a ministerial wildlife compensation committee meeting in February 2013.
A total of 230 cases, out of which 46 involved deaths, and 184 injury cases, were reported and approved for payment by the national committee. Snake bites constituted majority of the cases.
Central Rift will receive Sh5.9 million, Coast Sh0.2 million, Western Sh2.9 million, Eastern Sh2.1, Mountain Sh2.05 million, Northern Sh2.1 million, Tsavos Sh2.3 million while Southern will get Sh0.85 million.
Meanwhile, a stray lioness was speared to death in a retaliatory attack by communities at Lemong’o area near Amboseli National Park in Kajiado. The animal had earlier killed three goats at a boma and was unable to escape only for the villagers to attack it with spears and arrows. The incident was reported to KWS officials who responded immediately.
Late last month, a Maasai moran was injured after an attack by lions at Olgotum Hill in Merrueshi area in Kajiado. A lioness was also killed when about 300 morans went on a revenge mission after five lions invaded a boma and killed 41 goats and one cow.
Elsewhere, four suspected poachers were killed as another fled with injuries when KWS rangers
engaged the gangsters in a shootout at Ngare Ndare forest in Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. The rangers met the gangsters and ordered them to surrender before a shootout ensued.