A parliamentary committee has put the State Department for Wildlife on the spot over a Sh300 million payment linked to the development of a digital system for handling compensation claims from victims of human-wildlife conflict.
The matter was discussed on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, during a session of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Tourism and Wildlife, which was reviewing budget proposals for the 2026/27 financial year.
Lawmakers raised concern over how a significant portion of funds set aside for victims ended up being used on consultancy services tied to the digitalisation of the compensation programme.
The committee, chaired by Kareke Mbiuki, questioned the justification for the expenditure, saying the figures presented did not reflect value for money for taxpayers.
“What kind of services were worth Ksh300 million?” asked Hon. Mbiuki.
Officials from the State Department told MPs that the Sh800 million allocation was meant to support a pilot phase of a digital system designed to manage compensation claims for victims of wildlife attacks.
They explained that Sh300 million went to a company contracted to develop the platform, while the rest of the money was used to compensate victims injured by wild animals and families that lost relatives.
Voi MP Abdi Chome asked for detailed records on the digital system, saying Parliament needed clarity on whether the project was worth the cost.
“Provide the Committee with details of the digital project to justify paying such a huge amount. How do you spend Sh300 million to create a programme for paying out Sh500 million? There is no value for money,” Chome said.
Ijara MP Abdi Ali also raised concern, saying funds meant for victims of wildlife attacks should not be heavily absorbed by consultancy charges.
He said compensation for affected families is a sensitive issue that requires proper oversight and transparency.
Lamu East MP Mohammed Ruweida said Parliament has repeatedly pushed for better accountability in the handling of compensation funds, noting that delays and poor transparency have remained a concern.
“The issue of compensation for victims has always been raised on the floor of the House. The State Department should be transparent in disbursing funds to victims,” Ruweida said.
The committee was also informed that the State Department for Wildlife has been allocated Sh16.5 billion for the 2026/27 financial year, an increase from Sh15.1 billion in the previous year.
Out of the allocation, Sh13.6 billion will go to Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies, Sh1.9 billion has been set aside for compensation of victims of human-wildlife conflict, Sh546 million for recurrent expenditure, and Sh382 million for development projects.