This archive report was first published on 30 June 2020.
On June 26, 2020, the Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Najib Balala, launched the construction of a perimeter fence around Meru National Park in Tharaka Nithi County. The project aims to prevent human-wildlife conflict in the area.
However, just days after the launch, a suspected stray lioness invaded a cow shed in Gatagani village, killing two cows. The owner, Simon Kanyaru, reported the incident to the Kiamiramba police post, but KWS officers have yet to visit the scene.
Residents in the area are living in fear, with some threatening to hunt down and kill the animal if it continues to kill their livestock. They have appealed to KWS to act quickly to avert a possible eruption of human-wildlife conflict.
According to the Cabinet Secretary, the government has allocated Sh.96 million for the erection of the 53 km southern boundaries' fence. Additionally, Sh.500 million has been allocated for compensation to victims of human-wildlife conflict, with a backlog of Sh.5 billion pending to be paid.
The compensation will be disbursed in three phases, with the first phase allocating Sh.230,000 to victims in Tharaka North Sub-county.
By David Mutwiri
