Wild animals wreaking havoc in Kilifi County – MPs

Three leaders from Magarini sub-County in Kilifi County have threatened to incite the community to kill stray animals that have been terrorising villagers in Magarini if the government does not address the menace.

Speaking at Mamburui, Magarini Member of Parliament Harrison Garama Kombe claimed the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) had failed to address the issue of human-wildlife conflict in the area.

“Stray animals from the neighboring Tsavo East Game Reserve have been roaming around many villages in Magarini, killing and feasting on domestic animals,” Kombe said.

His sentiments were echoed by two other leaders in Kilifi County, Renson Kambi and Elinah Mbaru, who accused KWS of laxity and brutality towards the villagers. They claimed that the residents have been impoverished by the marauding animals for a long time.

In a quick rejoinder, Kilifi County Commissioner Mr Joseph Keter urged the residents not to take the law into their own hands.

“Report the incidents to the police instead, the government is determined to find a lasting solution to this problem,” he added.

This comes barely a month after a 10-year-old boy and a girl were brutally killed in separate incidents in August by a rogue lion that had reportedly been terrorizing residents in the area.