Departmental Committee on Tourism and Wildlife Wraps up Budget Monitoring Meetings With MDAS Amidst Revenue Challenges

The Departmental Committee on Tourism and Wildlife, in a session chaired by Vice Chairperson Hon. John Wanjiku (Kiambaa), successfully concluded its series of meetings with key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, state departments, and agencies, to review budget implementation for the 2022/2023 fiscal year.

The last to appear was Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), tasked with conserving and managing wildlife in Kenya, alongside enforcing related laws, discussed their mandate which includes wildlife security, park management, human-wildlife conflict resolution, tourism product management, conservation education, and community engagement.

In their presentation before the Hon. Mbiuki-led Committee Mr. Kanga said that in the fiscal year 2022/2023, KWS received a total allocation of Kshs. 5,626 million, with Kshs. 5,046 million for recurrent expenses and Kshs. 580 million for development projects. The initial recurrent budget was insufficient to cover salaries and operations, but increased revenue from tourism allowed for adjustments in Appropriation In Aid (AIA).

However, the development budget faced cuts in Supplementary I, and the remaining exchequer was not released by the end of the fiscal year, impacting planned projects.

Mr. Kanga pointed out that the Recurrent funding, comprising AIA and government grants, saw adjustments through Supplementary I and II, providing necessary finances for operations, including a Kshs. 65 million government support for fire management.

He said that Development projects, funded by the government and donors, experienced delays and budget reductions, affecting infrastructure and equipment acquisition.

Additionally, the DG said that they received Kshs. 94.7 million from carbon credits under the REDD+ program for conserving Chyullu and Tsavo ecosystems, supporting various initiatives such as fire management, ranger housing, water pans, and gate construction.

As the meeting concluded, Vice Chairperson Hon. John Wanjiku commended the KWS team, led by Director General Mr. Kanga, for their organization, performance, and increased revenue collection, stating, “I want to take this opportunity as we conclude our meeting to congratulate you for doing a good job and even increasing your revenue collection.”