Lamu, KENYA: Hongwe ward rep in Mpeketoni,Lamu James Komu has asked residents in areas prone to wildlife attacks to arm themselves necessarily in order to be able to deal with any more wildlife attacks during this drought period.
Komu said Kenya Wildlife Service-KWS had so far been unable to contain wildlife that continue to terrorize locals due to the drought; as they search for water and food.
He added that it was time for people to take the law into their own hands and defend themselves and their property from the rising attacks.
Speaking in Lamu on Sunday,Komu said cases of wild animals attacking,killing and injuring people the area are on the rise since the wild animals have now been forced out of their habitats and have now moved closer to humans in search of food and water.
“Wild animals especially hippos and buffaloes have been loitering all over, they aree now entering homes,kitchens and bathrooms just to look for water.several people have been killed in Hongwe,Mpeketoni,Witu,Hindi and Bargoni by wild animals.we are now telling our people to take up any weapon they can master and defend themselves from these animals after all there is no one else to do it for us,” said Komu.
Meanwhile, residents of Hindi division in Lamu county have issued a 48 hour ultimatum for the KWS to contain roaming wildlife in the area failure to which they will begin massive killings of the wild animals that have been terrorizing them since the drought began.
They also want the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to compensate all families who lost their loved ones at the hands of wild animals and those who have also been injured the same.
They said the number of people killed by wildlife in Hindi and neighbouring areas had grown drastically since 2014 but that no single family had been compensated.
The residents threatened to also hold massive demonstrations against increaseed wildlife attacks if the 48 hour ultimatum lapses without any meaningful action being taken.
According to a recent report by the KWS,atleast 8 people have been killed and over 25 injured by wild animals since January this year alone.
According to a committee formed to look into compensation for persons injured by wild animals,atleast 140 people are yet to compensated after they were left nursing lifelong injuries caused by wild animals.
