Vervet monkeys/FILEResidents of Nyweri Location in Meru County have petitioned Parliament to intervene over escalating human-wildlife conflict caused by vervet monkeys invading their farms and destroying crops.
In conveying the petition to the National Assembly, Speaker Moses Wetang’ula said his office had received a petition from Gilbert Mututa and other residents on behalf of the Nyweri Community.
“The petitioners said the community is predominantly made up of small-scale farmers who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods,” Wetang’ula noted.
They cultivate bananas, maize and vegetables and engage in dairy farming, activities that contribute significantly to household incomes, food security and the local economy.
According to the petitioners, human-wildlife conflict has intensified in Nyweri Location and neighbouring areas, adversely affecting livelihoods, safety and the socio-economic wellbeing of residents.
They said persistent destruction of crops by vervet monkeys had discouraged many farmers from continuing with agricultural activities because of the losses they anticipate from the animals.
The farmers warned that continued crop destruction could worsen poverty, food insecurity and declining agricultural productivity in the area.
The petitioners also raised concerns over the safety of residents, particularly women, children and elderly people, who they said face risks from vervet monkeys entering homesteads and farms in search of food.
They claimed that the animals can exhibit aggressive behaviour, creating fear among residents and making it difficult for farmers to protect their crops and families.
A major concern raised in the petition is the absence of compensation for losses caused by vervet monkeys.
The residents said vervet monkeys are not included among wildlife species eligible for compensation under the existing framework administered by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
As a result, farmers whose crops and livelihoods have been affected by the animals remain without compensation for their losses.
The petitioners argued that the lack of a compensation mechanism has undermined community support for wildlife conservation and weakened efforts to promote peaceful coexistence between local communities and wildlife.
The Nyweri Community is now asking the National Assembly to engage KWS and review the existing wildlife compensation framework to include vervet monkeys among species eligible for compensation.
The residents are also seeking the development and implementation of effective measures to control human-wildlife conflict caused by the animals.
They want the Government to promote sustainable coexistence between wildlife and communities through conservation programmes, public awareness initiatives and community-based mitigation measures.
The petitioners said addressing the conflict would help protect farmers’ livelihoods while ensuring that conservation efforts receive greater support from communities living alongside wildlife.
“The matters raised in the petition fell within the authority of the National Assembly and were not pending before any court, constitutional body or other legal institution,” Wetang’ula said.
He subsequently committed the petition to the Public Petitions Committee for consideration pursuant to Standing Order 208A.
The committee is required to consider the petition and report its findings to the House and the petitioners in accordance with Standing Order 227(2).
