Members of Kenya’s National Assembly are demanding answers over the use of KSh300 million on consultancy services tied to a wildlife compensation programme, raising concerns that funds meant for victims may have been poorly spent.
The questions emerged during a meeting between the Tourism and Wildlife Committee and officials from the State Department for Wildlife as lawmakers reviewed budget estimates for the 2026/27 financial year.
At the centre of the dispute is an KSh800 million allocation intended for compensating victims of human-wildlife conflict including families who have lost relatives or suffered injuries from attacks by wild animals.
Lawmakers were told that KSh300 million of that amount was used to develop a digital compensation system as part of a pilot project.
That explanation did little to calm concerns inside the committee room.
Kareke Mbiuki, who chairs the committee, openly questioned whether the consultancy fees could be justified.
“What kind of services were worth KSh300 million?” he asked.
Several MPs argued that the spending appeared excessive, particularly when compared with the amount left for direct compensation to victims.
Abdi Chome called for full details of the digitisation project, saying Parliament needed proof that taxpayers had received value for money.
“How do you spend KSh300 million to create a programme for paying out KSh500 million?” he asked. “There is no value for money.”
The issue struck a political nerve because compensation for wildlife attacks has long been a sensitive matter in many rural communities, where encounters between people and wildlife are common and payments are often delayed.
Abdi Ali questioned why money intended for victims had been diverted to consultancy work, while Mohammed Ruweida urged the department to handle the funds with greater transparency.
“The issue of compensation for victims has always been raised on the floor of the House,” Ruweida said. “The State Department should be transparent in disbursing funds to victims.”
Officials from the State Department defended the programme, telling lawmakers the digital system was intended to improve efficiency and streamline compensation claims.
The committee was also informed that the department’s budget for the coming financial year has risen to KSh16.5 billion, up from KSh15.1 billion the previous year.
Of that amount, KSh1.9 billion has been earmarked for compensation linked to human-wildlife conflict, while KSh13.6 billion will go to semi-autonomous government agencies.
Lawmakers were further told that the department is carrying pending bills worth KSh1.1 billion. The committee is expected to seek additional documentation on the consultancy payments before making recommendations on the budget.
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