An Elephant/FILETension gripped Churiri Village in Njabini Location, South Kinangop Sub-County, after three mature elephants strayed from Ragia Forest and invaded local farms, destroying crops.
According to a police report filed at Njabini Police Station, the elephants entered the village on the night of July 19 at around 11:00 pm. Villagers woke up to find crops destroyed across several farms.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) was alerted at around 7:00 am on July 20 by the area chief. KWS wardens arrived at the scene to find angry residents armed with crude weapons, surrounding the elephants, which had taken cover in nearby bushes approximately four kilometres from their natural habitat.
A joint operation involving KWS officers, Njabini Police officers, and local administration officials was launched. With the aid of a helicopter, the team successfully drove the elephants back to Ragia Forest.
No injuries were reported among the residents or the animals. The elephants were left near the forest gate under the watch of KWS personnel.
KWS has launched an assessment of the destroyed crops with a view to compensating affected farmers.
The operation concluded at around 6:30 pm without any incident.
On June 21, two people lost their lives in separate incidents involving elephants in Marsabit and Narok counties, underscoring the growing challenge of human–wildlife conflict across Kenya.
In the first incident, a 30‑year‑old National Police Reservist was trampled to death by an elephant in Marsabit National Park.
The man, identified as Lmalina Leado, was carrying his G3 rifle when he was charged by the animal while passing through the Ndonyawas area on Wednesday.
Police and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers responded to the scene and learned that he had been rushed to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
His rifle, still loaded with 40 rounds of ammunition, was found beside his body. Authorities have launched an investigation into the attack.
In a separate tragedy in Narok County, a 14-year-old boy was killed by an elephant at a watering point in Naroosura village on June 19.
The boy was herding cattle when he was attacked. He was taken to Narok Teaching and Referral Hospital but died from his injuries.
These incidents highlight the growing tensions between communities and wildlife across Kenya.
