By Our Reporter
The Commission on Administrative Justice (Office of the Ombudsman) says its intervention has led to the release of a long-delayed wildlife compensation payment to a Mandera family, resolving a dispute that had stretched over several years and involved a mistaken beneficiary payment.
According to correspondence cited by the Commission, the State Department for Wildlife confirmed on 5 June 2026 that it had processed and paid the outstanding balance of compensation due to Mr. H.M.H, the father of a minor injured in a snake bite incident in Mandera County in June 2020.
“The Department has duly compensated Mr. H.M.H., the beneficiary of the claimant A.H.M. (minor), for injuries sustained as a result of a wildlife-related incident. The compensation has been processed and paid accordingly,” the Principal Secretary for Wildlife said in a letter quoted by the Commission.
The case arose after Mr. H.M.H filed a complaint with the Ombudsman alleging an “unreasonable delay” in the release of the remaining compensation balance for his son, who was four years old at the time of the incident in Kubihalo Sub-Location.
Records show that the Ministerial Wildlife Compensation Management Committee (MWCMC) approved compensation of Ksh. 1.5 million. However, the family reportedly received Ksh. 730,000, leaving an outstanding balance of Ksh. 770,000.
Mr. H.M.H told the Commission that repeated follow-ups with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) offices in Mandera and Nairobi had failed to resolve the issue, and that the delay placed significant financial and emotional strain on his family.
“Please note that travelling from Mandera to Nairobi is very costly and at times I stay in hotels for even three weeks trying to follow up on the payment at the Ministry and then back to Kenya Wildlife, and then return to the Ministry. This has caused a lot of financial strain on my family and me, coupled with the medical challenges of my son, who needs constant care,” he said in a statement quoted in the Ombudsman file.
The Commission on Administrative Justice said it escalated the matter to the Director General of KWS, who later indicated that compensation processing falls under the State Department for Wildlife. The department, in its response, said payments had been initiated based on records submitted by KWS but noted discrepancies in beneficiary details.
According to the State Department, the payment was initially directed to a different individual, identified as Mr. A.H.A., based on records it received. The department sought clarification from KWS on the correct beneficiary details.
Mr. H.M.H disputed any change of beneficiary, maintaining that no documentation had been submitted to alter the rightful recipient of the funds. He later alleged that he was informed at a ministry cash office that the outstanding balance had already been paid to a person he did not know.
Following a review, authorities established that the payment had been made in error to Mr. A.H.A., whose own claim had already been settled. The Principal Secretary subsequently directed the Kenya Wildlife Service to recover the funds and correct the payment process.
The Ombudsman said it followed up on the matter and issued a further request for updates in April 2026, after which the department confirmed full settlement to the rightful beneficiary.
The case highlights ongoing challenges in Kenya’s wildlife compensation system, which often deals with high volumes of human-wildlife conflict claims, administrative delays, and verification disputes between agencies.
