•The locals now claim that cases of human-wildlife conflicts have gone up in recent times.
•Two children aged three and 13 were attacked, and mauled by hyenas in separate incidences three days ago before they were rescued by members of the public
Image: GEORGE OWITI
Residents of Muthwani in Mavoko, Machakos County have decried increased cases of wildlife attacks in the area.
The locals now claim that cases of human-wildlife conflicts have gone up in recent times.
Two children aged three and 13 were attacked, and mauled by hyenas in separate incidences three days ago before they were rescued by members of the public.
The 13 – year – old is undergoing treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital, while the one aged three has been admitted to Machakos Level 5 Hospital in stable condition.
The residents now want the government through relevant institutions including Kenya Wildlife Service to move with speed and get rid of wildlife from the community.
They claim that there are lots of wild animals in their midst, especially hyenas.
“I met a boy being chased by a hyena, he was wailing. He had been attacked by the time we met. The animal, however, disappeared in the darkness, resident Joseph Mbithi said.
Mbithi who addressed the press in Muthwani on Saturday said the incident occurred at around 6. 40 pm.
He said the 13 – year – old walked home after the incident.
William Mutinda, a village administrator in Muthwani said the second incident happened three days later at around 8.38 pm.
“I found the mother of the three-year-old baby holding her child’s leg while the hyena was pulling the head. I raised an alarm and hit the hyena with a stone.
"It let the child go and escaped into the darkness. We rushed the child to a local health facility within Muthwani for emergency services before calling for an ambulance which later took him to Machakos Level 5 Hospital.”
Mutinda said parents with young children should ensure they were closer to their children when it gets to 6.00 pm each evening to avoid more attacks.
The three – year old’s mother said the hyena grabbed the child from her hands when she was on her way home from work.
“I was with my child from work on a fateful day. I had just left him one step from my house minutes past 8. 00 pm. He was attacked by a hyena, we rescued him and rushed him to a health facility within Muthwani ward for first aid before he was taken to Machakos Level 5 Hospital,” the mother told reporters at Machakos Level 5 on Saturday.
A nurse attending to the 13 – year – old at Machakos Level 5 hospital said the boy was admitted to the facility in critical condition but was responding well to treatment.
“A child was admitted to the facility after he was mauled by a hyena, he had lots of open wounds. Surgery was conducted on him and all the wounds closed. He is apparently responding well to treatment,” the nurse said.