Premium
Wildlife PS under fire over Sh300m compensation cash diversion
Principal Secretary State Department for Wildlife Silvia Museiya speaks during the Kenya Tourism, Wildlife and MICE Week at Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi on December 8, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Irregular payment was deducted from the Sh800 million allocated towards the attack victims' kitty.
- Ijara MP Abdi Ali questioned why funds meant for victims were diverted to consultancy services.
Wildlife Principal Secretary Silvia Museiya is under fire for overseeing the diversion of Sh300 million meant for compensation of the wildlife attack victims into the pockets of digital consultants.
The irregular payment, flagged by the National Assembly Committee on Tourism and Wildlife as it considered the State Department’s budget estimates for the fiscal year 2026/27, was deducted from the Sh800 million allocated towards the attack victims' kitty.
PS Museiya is on leave.
But at a meeting of the committee chaired by Maara MP Kareke Mbiuki, Mr David Mirobi, who represented the PS Museiya, was hard-pressed to explain how the State Department found it plausible to divert the funds at a time the victims of the wildlife attack are crying for justice.
Mr Mbiuki noted that the diversion of the amounts was not justified and directed that full details on the expenditure be provided “to ensure value for money and transparent disbursement of public funds.”
“Could you kindly tell us the kind of services that were worth Sh300 million? That amount is outrageous for what you want us to believe it was expended on,” said Mr Mbiuki.
The State Department has been allocated Sh16.5 billion in the next financial year, up from Sh15.1 billion in the current financial year.
Out of the allocation, Sh13.6 billion is for the Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies (Sagas) under the State Department, Sh1.9 billion for the compensation of human-wildlife conflict victims, Sh546 million for recurrent expenditure and Sh382 million for development projects.
The State Department’s pending bills currently stand at Sh1.1 billion.
Wildlife compensation is a sensitive matter. Families have waited years for a pittance after losing loved ones to wildlife attacks.
Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife Rebecca Miano (left) and Principal Secretary State Department for Wildlife Silvia Museiya during the Kenya Tourism, Wildlife and MICE Week at Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi on December 8, 2025.
According to Mr Mbiuki, the days of hiding behind technical jargon and consultancy smoke screens are over.
“The victims will get their justice and the government will have to explain exactly who pocketed the Sh300 million.”
During the meeting, the committee was informed that the Sh800 million allocation was intended for the digitalization of the Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) victim compensation programme as a pilot project.
The committee heard that the diverted Sh300 million was paid to a firm that developed the digital system, with the balance used to compensate victims injured by wild animals and the families of those who lost loved ones in the wildlife attacks.
Voi MP Abdi Chome, a member of the committee, demanded details of the digitalization project to determine whether the expenditure offered value for money.
“Provide the committee with details of the digital project to justify paying such a huge amount. How do you spend such a large amount of money to create a programme? There is no value for money,” said Mr Chome.
This as Ijara MP Abdi Ali said that compensation for wildlife victims was a sensitive matter and questioned why funds meant for victims were diverted to consultancy services.
Lamu East MP Captain Ruweida Obo said “the committee is deeply concerned about compensation for victims” and stressed that the allocated funds should be used carefully and transparently.
“The issue of compensation for victims has always been raised on the floor of the House. Our people are suffering. The State Department must be transparent in disbursing these funds," said Ms Obo.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.
