Eight primary schools in Masimba, Kajiado, have closed down after parents feared elephants would attack their children.
They are Nemasi, Enkonerei MCK, Oldonyolenkai, Ilkelunyet, Orkatetemai, Oldonyosambu, Oltukai, and Chyulu.
Pastor Justus Marona, an elder brother of a teacher killed on May 24, said the number of elephants has increased and all the schools in the area have been closed indefinitely.
“We have no other option but to let our children stay at home until Kenya Wildlife Service drives the animals back into the park,” Marona said on Saturday.
KWS spokesperson Ngugi Gecaga said the agency is working to reduce human-wildlife conflict.
Even as as he tried to allay fears, a family in Kajiado is yet to come to terms with the death of their two sons killed by elephants on the same day in different locations in Masimba on May 24.
William Sonke Marona, 47, a teacher at MCK School in Masimba had his life cut short by an elephant as walked into his home on the evening of May 24.
Marona was attacked and killed 20 metres from his house in Losukoroi village as he arrived from Masimba market where he had gone to buy foodstuff for his family.
Earlier at around 9am, some 3km from Marona’s home, his cousin Pelo Muterian was killed by an elephant.
His body was not found until last Tuesday when villagers stumbled on his head. The other parts of the body are suspected to have been eaten by hyenas. Muterian’s relative reported his disappearance one day after he failed to come home following the alleged attack.
The Star visited the location of the alleged attack and interviewed family members of both Muterian and Marona.
