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Leaders in Kitui County have voiced strong opposition to the government’s decision to exclude snakebite victims from receiving compensation.
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They condemned the move, calling it unjust, discriminatory, and lacking humanity, as it leaves affected individuals without essential government support.
Deputy Governor Augustine Kanani, Kitui South MP Rachel Nyamai, and several Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) led the call for the immediate reinstatement of compensation for snakebite victims.
They criticized the 2018 amendment to the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013, describing it as insensitive to the plight of those killed or permanently injured by snakes.
Speaking during the International Biodiversity Day celebrations and the launch of the Human-Wildlife Compensation Scheme in Mutomo, Kitui South, the leaders emphasized the severity of the issue. Official data indicates that Kitui records up to 800 snakebite incidents annually.
Kanani and Nyamai pointed out that Kitui suffers the second-highest number of snakebites in the country, after Baringo County, and argued that excluding victims from compensation was deeply unfair.
“There are efforts underway to restore the compensation, but the process must be expedited. Denying support under the current conditions is tantamount to condemning the victims,” said Kanani.
MP Nyamai questioned the logic behind halting compensation for snakebite cases while victims of attacks by elephants, lions, buffaloes, and hyenas still qualify. She pledged to vigorously advocate for the reinstatement of the compensation scheme.
“I will raise this issue in the National Assembly and push for the return of compensation for snakebite victims. The current policy effectively penalizes those attacked by snakes,” she stated.
During the event, Sh52 million was symbolically presented to Deputy Governor Kanani by Ngene, reflecting payouts made to 26 beneficiaries of wildlife-related incidents in the 2024–2025 fiscal year.
In a speech delivered on her behalf by Ngene, Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano urged for collaborative efforts to ensure that no family suffers wildlife-related losses without support, while also protecting Kenya’s biodiversity.
“Our wildlife is a national treasure—vital for tourism, ecosystem sustainability, and climate resilience,” Miano emphasized.
