Why Kerio Valley residents want 600 elephants moved from reserve
Why Kerio Valley residents want 600 elephants moved from reserve
Fred Kibor, Nation
May 17, 2023
See link
https://nation.africa/kenya/counties/elgeyo-marakwet/why-kerio-valley-residents-want-600-elephants-moved-from-reserve-4237050
for photos.
Residents of Elgeyo Marakwet now want elephants at the Rimoi Game Reserve
moved to safeguard their livelihoods after the tuskers’ incessant invasions
onto farms.
The locals are particularly irked by the lack of compensation for loss of
life and property, with claims to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KFS)
remaining unpaid for more than a decade.
To the residents, the elephants are more of a curse than a blessing and the
time is ripe for them to be moved elsewhere.
Mr Michael Tuitoek, one of the locals, laments that farms are invaded by
the jumbos yearly, causing them huge losses.
“Last year my crops worth over Sh500,000 were destroyed by the elephants.
The same has happened in previous years and since we do not want to kill
the jumbos like the lions that were killed in Kajiado for preying on
locals’ livestock, we want them to be translocated to end our perennial
misery,” he said.
Locals in his Chebinyiny location are seeking more than Sh20 million in
compensation for crops damaged in the past four years.
“We have not witnessed any form of social investment from KWS, apart from a
dormitory built at a local secondary a decade ago. They would have even
initiated bursary schemes for families whose crops were destroyed or even
compensated us on a timely basis,” he protested.
Waiting for Compensation
Another victim Mr Korir Chemnjor has been waiting to be compensated since
2010 after marauding jumbos invaded his farm, destroying crops worth more
than Sh1 million.
“My life has never been the same because of the invasion and we have been
riding on reverse. There is no point of us harbouring elephants whose
presence is more of a curse to us and that is why they should be moved,” he
said.
He accused KWS of acting acting irresponsibly by failing to pay victims on
time for the damages, yet the elephants continue to destroy their farms.
“What is interesting is the fact that we all have duly filled claim forms
that are now gathering dust in KWS offices. As time goes by, we may lose
the compensation claims,” he said.
Rimoi Game Reserve is home to more than 600 elephants.
Each year between June and September, they migrate from Nasalot Game
Reserve in Turkana to Rimoi Game Reserve in Elgeyo Marakwet for the
breeding season.
Migratory Corridor
However, locals have encroached on their migratory corridor and established
farmlands, where the animals destroy crops.
Hundreds of acres of acres of watermelon, bananas, mangoes, paw paws,
maize, beans, groundnuts, green grams, sorghum, and millet are now in a
ruins.
The most affected areas are Kamogich, Rimoi, Chebinyiny, Chepsigot, Kaben,
Endo, Talai, Koibirir, Mokoro, Murkutwo, Mon, and Arror, where the
elephants have left a trail of destruction on farms.
There is an electric fence erected around the park, but lack of maintenance
has seen it break down, making the jumbos easily stray out of the reserve
into farms.
Mr Nixon Changwony, said his and other farmers’ livelihoods are in ruins
because of the elephants.
“I had over 400 tissue culture bananas and 280 trees of paw paws which were
ready for market, but are now in ruins courtesy of the elephants. KWS
should move with speed and arrest the situation because the crops were my
livelihood,” lamented Mr Changwony.
He said a lasting solution was urgently needed, and it is upon the agency
to ensure the jumbos do not wander into farms.
Sh51million Loss in a Year
Locals claim in 2020, they collectively lost crop worth Sh51 million.
“Last year we also suffered the same loss. Elephant invasion has now become
a perennial issue and we need compensation for all the damage to enable us
to carry on with our lives. We are grappling with bandits on one hand and
now the issue of elephants is another menace,” he said.
Compensation Act
The Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013 established a Wildlife
Compensation Scheme to be used for financing compensation claims for human
death, injury or crop and property damage caused by wildlife.
In case of death, Sh5 million is paid to the victim family, Sh 3million for
a permanent disability, while for any other injury, a maximum of Sh2
million, depending on the extent of injury is awarded.
Any person who suffers loss or damage to crops, livestock or other property
from wildlife specified may submit a claim to the County Wildlife
Conservation and Compensation Committee, for verification and
recommendation to the Service for due consideration.
Compensation rates are valued at ruling market rates, once it is
established that victims took reasonable measures, to protect such crops,
livestock or property from damage by wildlife, while land use practices
should be compatible with the ecosystem-based management plan for the area.