Kitui County on Thursday joined the global community in marking the 2025 International Day for Biological Diversity under the theme “The World We Want: A Future for All.” The celebrations, held in Mutomo Town, Kitui South Sub-county, were marked by a major milestone—issuance of compensation cheques worth Ksh 52 million to victims of human-wildlife conflict (HWC).
Dr. Shadrack Ngene, who represented Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife Rebecca Miano, lauded the move as a significant step in promoting biodiversity conservation and community resilience. He revealed that over 57,000 HWC cases have been recorded nationally since 2009, with Kitui accounting for more than 1,000. Under the newly digitized compensation platform, 804 claims from Kitui worth over Ksh 29 million have already been approved for payment. He emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to continued compensation funding and community training to ensure peaceful human-wildlife coexistence.
Presiding over the event, Kitui Deputy Governor H.E. Wambua Kanani led county and national leaders in handing over the cheques to 26 individuals affected by wildlife invasions that led to fatalities, injuries, and destruction of crops and livestock. He reaffirmed Governor Dr. Julius Malombe’s commitment to addressing snakebite cases—currently excluded from the compensation scheme—by operationalizing the long-proposed Mutomo Reptile Park for venom harvesting and research.
“Our Governor proposed the reptile park and venom harvesting during his first term. He is committed to completing the project and operationalizing the Kitui Tourism Circuit by opening the Kasaala Gate and installing rest areas along the Kitui–Kibwezi–Mwingi Highway,” said Kanani.
He added that land has already been allocated for the construction of the Eastern Region Utalii College, a game-changing institution that will equip youth with skills in tourism and hospitality, further bolstering Kitui’s eco-tourism potential.
Kitui County, home to 42% of Tsavo East National Park, is poised to become a strategic gateway to the Mount Kenya Tourism Ecosystem through the planned fencing of the South Kitui Game Reserve, opening of the Kasaala Gate, and operationalization of the Mutomo Reptile Park.
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