Ewaso Nyiro threatens to kill stray elephants

RESIDENTS of Ewaso Nyiro in Narok South district on Saturday appealed to the government to relocate straying elephants that have destroyed lives and properties. Led by Simon Yenko, they threatened to kill the elephants if the Kenya Wildlife Service fails to relocate them. “We shall not sit and watch as animals destroy our lives and properties. We will arm ourselves and kill them just like our bothers in Kajiado did when the lions attacked them,” Yenko told journalists.

This comes at time when a 29-year-old woman Kisieku Yenko was trampled by an elephants in Esupetai at the outskirts of Maasai Mara. “It is unfortunate that KWS take time to respond when an animal attacks residents. Yet they use choppers when the animals are under threat,” Yenko said.

He called upon KWS director Julius Kipngetich and Wildlife and Forestry minister Noah Wekesa to intervene and resolve human-wildlife conflicts. Human rights activist, Omah Naisho, accused the government of failing to address recurring human-wildlife conflicts. “We are wondering why the state is prioritising the tourism dollar rather than our lives and yet we have contributed a lot to the conservation of the wildlife,” Naisho said.

Riamit Kimaren, who works with the locals NGO, called on the government to set aside an emergency kitty that will be used to address issues arising from such conflicts. Last year during the translocation of 50 elephants, Dr Kipngetich admitted that Narok county is one of the human-wildlife conflict hot spots. He added that elephants have been identified as the most problematic animals.