Nairobi — Wild animal attack victims in Kitui County will be compensated a total of Sh129.8 million, Tourism, Wildlife, and Heritage Cabinet Secretary (CS) Peninah Malonza has said.

Out of Sh129.8 million, which represents 129 claims, victims will be paid Sh52.86 million initially between July and August this year.

"The balance of 29 claims valued at Ksh.76,948,048 will be paid from the Kshs.1.1billion received in the Financial Year 2023/2024," CS Malonza said when he appeared before the National Assembly to answer questions from members regarding her ministry.

Cases of wildlife-human conflicts have been rising, increasing the compensation burden on the state.

Experts link the trouble to humans encroaching on animals' territories, leading to frequent attacks and the loss of properties and lives.

To reduce such cases, the CS told Parliamentarians that her ministry has allocated Sh50 million from the Tourism Promotion Fund to fence Kitui South and Mwingi North reserve areas.

She gave several short-term measures, including stationing staff in all the protected areas and collaboration with stakeholders to help manage or limit wildlife encroachment.

Others are the establishment of community conservancies, providing water in wildlife conservancies, capturing and translocating problematic wildlife, using technology to monitor the movement and activities of large mammals, and paying compensation claims.

Kenya boasts large swathes of animal parks that attract millions of tourists every year, generating billions of shillings for the government.

In the half-year to June of this year, Kenya earned Sh116.2 billion from the tourism sector, according to the Kenya Tourism Board.

This represented a 32 percent jump from Sh152.6 billion in a similar period last year.