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| Senior KWS Warden for Kisumu and Siaya counties Grace Kariuki presents a compensation form to Mzee Charles Osore. Photo/Courtesy |
A 52-year-old man from Ugunja Sub-county in Siaya County who killed a python after it attacked and killed his dog is set to receive compensation from the government, following intervention by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
Charles Osore, a resident of Luoka village in Madungu sub-location, attracted national attention after the incident was aired by Citizen TV. The coverage prompted a visit to his home by a KWS team led by Grace Kariuki, the Senior Warden in charge of Kisumu and Siaya counties.
Speaking during the visit, Kariuki said the agency had engaged Osore to offer support and to initiate the compensation process. She thanked him for cooperating with authorities despite the loss of his dog, noting that KWS had taken up the matter to ensure it was handled in line with existing wildlife compensation procedures.
KWS officials assured residents that the government would take responsibility for the incident and reiterated the importance of promptly reporting cases of human–wildlife conflict. The team also pledged to conduct community sensitisation sessions in the area to educate residents on how to safely respond to wildlife encounters.
Osore praised the government for responding to the community’s concerns but urged KWS officers to act swiftly and efficiently whenever such incidents are reported. He said timely intervention would help prevent loss of property and reduce risks to human life.
Osore drew widespread attention after killing the large constrictor snake that had attacked his dog and taking both carcasses to a local police station. The act was widely viewed as a dramatic protest meant to highlight the growing cases of human–wildlife conflict in the region.
Residents, led by Alfred Onyango, welcomed the visit by KWS officials, saying the incident had helped them better understand wildlife conservation and the proper channels for reporting encounters with animals such as snakes and monkeys.
KWS said it will continue working with local communities to improve awareness and response to wildlife-related incidents as part of broader efforts to reduce conflict between humans and wild animals.
