A 71-year-old man was trampled to death by an elephant on Friday in Marmanet, Laikipia West subcounty, prompting residents’ protests.
The man identified as Richard Kinyua is the second victim after a Kenya Wildlife Service officer was killed by an elephant at Rumuruti forest a month ago.
Another woman, Millicent Wangui, is recuperating at home after she was attacked a week ago.
Kinyua, a former head teacher at Kinguti Primary School, was killed in his home compound after several elephants invaded his home.
Marmanet MCA Simon Kanyutu said Kinyua tried to chase away the animals when one of them attacked him from behind.
“It was around 5am when the animals invaded his potato farm. Unknown to him, one elephant was behind him. He died on the spot,” Kanyutu said.
The MCA said the animals are believed to be from the nearby the Rumuruti forest. He said they have been terrorising residents for the last three months. “We have complained to the authorities and no action has been taken. For how long shall we keep on losing lives to the wild animals?” Kanyutu asked.
The MCA said no compensation has been made to residents who have lost their farm produce and those killed.
“DP William Ruto in his recent tour promised that we would be compensated and yet nothing has been done. People have lost crops worth millions of shillings,” he said.
Nyahururu KWS senior warden Jacob Orale said more officers had been deployed to chase away the elephants.
He assured residents that normalcy will be restored once an electric fence being constructed around the forest is complete.
Last year in September, residents of Lekiji village, Laikipia North subcounty, urged the KWS rangers to track and kill an elephant that had killed a woman.
A Nyumba Kumi official said the woman was trampled to death by the elephant. She was fetching firewood on the border of the village and Mpala Research Centre.
The official said the same elephant had attacked and injured an elderly man in the area.