The Boni community in Lamu are staring at prolonged starvation after poisonous snakes invaded their hunting grounds.
The Boni are a forest community who have for decades survived by hunting and gathering inside the Boni Forest.
The community inhabits the seven key villages of Milimani, Basuba, Mangai, Mararani, Kiangwe, Pandanguo and Madina all of which are located inside the forest.
Owing to the prolonged drought in their areas, the Bonis have been forced to survive by eating wild fruits and roots gathered from the forest.
At the moment, they are unable to hunt and gather as the designated grounds have become infested with venomous snakes.
Boni elder Aden Mussa said they believe the invasion is equally due to the drought.
He said they have nothing to feed on as hunters are keeping away from the forest for fear of being bitten by snakes.
“We are starving. We tried farming and it failed. We decided to go back to hunting and gathering but that, too, has been hampered by all these snakes crawling all over. We have no food now,” Musa said.
Ismail Yusuf, a Boni warrior, said the snakes have also been eating from their traps making it hard for them to hunt.
The snakes are majorly puff adders and cobras, Yusuf said.
“Normally, warriors go into the forest and lay traps to catch some bush meat but the snakes get to the traps and eat our catch. This has been happening for weeks now and we have nothing to eat,” Yusuf lamented.
Basuba village elder Niya Abuli said hundreds have since been bitten by the snakes.
They fault KWS for failing to compensate victims.
“We get bitten by these snakes daily. We normally use traditional concoctions to heal. Some live, others die. It’s too much. We have tried getting compensation for the same but KWS doesn’t bother,” Abuli said.
The community has urged KWS to find ways of driving the snakes away from their hunting grounds.
They have also urged the county government to equip dispensaries with anti-venom medication to save lives.
Edited by EKibii
