• The rainy season has caused snakes to enter Lamu homes, resulting in panic among residents.
• KWS says it is aware of the situation; urges residents to report cases immediately.
Residents of Manda and Kiwayu islands in Lamu County are a sleepless lot.
Since the rainy season started late last month, residential areas have been invaded by highly venomous snakes.
Locals now live in fear, not knowing what lies in the deepest corners of their homes.
According to the Kenya Wildlife Service in Lamu, the most common type of snakes reported in the area are puff adders, cobras, green mambas and pythons
Tens have reported having been bitten by the reptiles in their homes
Manda Village community policing officer Joseph Syounda said the snakes sometimes hide inside bedding and utensils.
KWS senior warden Mathias Mwavita said his office was aware of the “delicate and unpredictable” situation.
Mwavita said talks were underway to establish a snake park in Manda village which is worst hit by the situation.
“We can only act on timely reporting. Our officers are on instruction to move in and pull out the reptiles once reports are made,” he said.
According to Syounda, the lack of a health facility for locals to receive first aid and other necessary medical care to save lives has made the situation worse.
The available facilities are located kilometers away from the snake-prone village and are also poorly equipped as they lack anti-venom medication.
This means locals have to ferry snake bite victims across the Indian Ocean to the King Fahad hospital in Lamu town.
“So many people have died in the last one year from snake bites. The situation is worse during the rainy season. The snakes are everywhere. You never know where the snakes are hiding waiting to pounce and bite. It’s scary,” said Syounda.
Elder Phillip Onyango who has lived in Manda since the early 90s said the problem of snakes is not new.
He said the KWS has never been committed to resolving the issue forcing locals to live with the perennial situation.
In Kiwayu village, families of those killed or injured by wildlife are seeking compensation for their relatives.
Apart from snake bites, locals especially fishermen have also reported attacks and even deaths from stingrays and other marine animals.
“Stingray attacks have left many people dead, while others nurse injuries. The KWS doesn’t seem bothered even after numerous reports. The least the government can do is to compensate us,” Musa Abdirahman, a resident, said.
Manda Island is home to over 2,000 people mostly farmers and quarry miners while Kiwayu island boasts a population of more than 3,000, mostly fishermen.
(Edited by O. Owino)