President William Ruto on Friday launched a Sh960 million compensation scheme for damages arising from human-wildlife conflict with instructions for the Ministry of Tourism to expedite pending remissions.

Speaking at Rumuruti Stadium in Laikipia County, the President said there were about 17,000 verified compensation claims worth Sh7 billion for the period 2014-2023 but the government has since paid out Sh4 billion to about 10,000 beneficiaries.

He directed the Ministry of Tourism to expedite compensation of the remaining 7,000 verified claimants at Sh3 billion within the next 60 days.

The compensation claims are for deaths, injuries, crop destruction, predation and damage of property caused by wild animals in six counties.

“Last year it was started in Taita Taveta County, today we have moved to Laikipia County and my instructions are as follows,” he said.

“We have so far compensated Sh4 billion by the end of this compensation today. The others that are pending, almost 7,000 cases that have already been verified, my instruction is that we should compensate those people in the next 60 days.”

The President said expeditious compensation will build public confidence in wildlife conservation and avert hostilities from communities whenever wildlife strays into human habitats.

Ruto told Tourism and Wildlife CS Alfred Mutua and his team to work closely with MPs in putting in place the requisite regulations and ensure the 7,000 pending cases are paid out within two months.

"We must involve the people in conservation because citizens being at the core of every plan ensures sustainability," the President said.

“We have also made changes, previously if someone got mauled to death by an elephant, compensation was Sh200,000. We have now said if a citizen is killed by an elephant compensation is Sh5 million,” Ruto added.

He said injuries from wildlife attacks will be paid out depending on the degree of harm inflicted by the animals up to a maximum of Sh4 million.

At the same time, the President announced that the government will erect 350km of electric fence around national parks and game reserves in six counties.

He said Laikipia County will benefit from a 100km fence along Lariak Forest Wildlife Conservancy that he commissioned to reduce and eventually end human-wildlife conflict.

The President directed the ministry to map out all areas, which require fencing, including forests, to facilitate fencing in the next five years.

He said this is part of the pledges the government made to the people of Laikipia during the election campaigns in 2022.