This archive report was first published on 24 August 2021.
Kenya: The Jinxed Windfall - Tana River Kws Millionaires Now Paupers ¶
Published on August 24, 2021
Residents of Kalalani village in Tana River County were thrown into mourning in 2014 when two families lost four children to hyenas. The incident sparked an uproar in the county, with politicians calling for quick compensation for the families.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) approved Sh20 million as compensation for the two families, with each family set to receive Sh5 million for each life lost. The deal was completed in less than three months.
Mr. Ayub Gobu Dirbu, who lost three children, received Sh15 million, while Zakaria Balesa received Sh5 million. However, seven years later, the families have nothing to show for the millions they received, and are living in dire poverty.
Mr. Dirbu, who was once a village tycoon, was approached by many for help after he received the compensation. He was soft-hearted and approachable, but many took advantage of his generosity, borrowing tens and hundreds of thousands of shillings without repaying.
Mr. Dirbu had Sh8 million left and decided to invest it in Waldena. He was sold land at a high price and put up a fairly good structure, which rents for Sh3,000 per month. He also acquired livestock to secure the little money he had left.
However, in the past six years, Mr. Dirbu has sold some of the animals to find money for his basic needs, and only a few are left. Despite the investment, he can barely afford his children's school fees, and they look after his livestock in the forest reserve, where they get into confrontations with KWS officers.
Mr. Balesa's story is similar. After receiving Sh5 million for the child he lost to hyenas, he kicked out his wife, saying she had failed to light a fire outside the manyatta at night to keep the children safe. He later married a new wife, paying a hefty dowry, close to half a million shillings.
Mr. Balesa's life was spent in luxurious living, but he eventually realized he was becoming broke fast. He decided to put up a semi-permanent house for his family and acquired a few cows and sheep. He later brought back his first wife, hoping that things would improve.
However, their situation worsened when their house, a key asset they had left behind, was demolished for being in a forest reserve. Mr. Balesa and his family were forcibly pushed out of the land and had to build a new home a few kilometres from the forest reserve.
Mr. Balesa decried being robbed by KWS of his gains, claiming to have suffered injuries caused by the hyena and deserving compensation. He intends to pursue the matter further.
More than 30 KWS compensation beneficiaries are in the same boat, with only a handful able to account for the millions they received in damages. Chewani Location Chief Athman Mtolee says most of the beneficiaries spent their money on luxuries, including cars and vacations.
Guidance and counselling expert Margaret Achani observed that most of the beneficiaries did not get proper guidance on investment, leading to irresponsible spending. She proposed that, in future pay-offs, the KWS compensation committee should work with county administrations to have financial advisers to guide the beneficiaries.
