Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi has warned the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) over the recent hyena attacks in the county.
Speaking on Tuesday, September 10, Wamatangi said the Kiambu locals will take matters into their own hands to deal with the hyenas if KWS fails to address the challenge.
"We have given KWS our final warning. We don’t want to discuss these matters anymore, we are saying they should come and take action immediately, and not just talk.
“Otherwise, we are ready, and as the Governor, I have said that I will be at the forefront, along with my people here in Kiambu, as we resist. If we don't have the security to ensure that people aren’t being killed by these hyenas, then we will organize ourselves and say we must protect the lives of our children” said Wamatangi.
The Kiambu County boss also called on Tourism and Wildlife CS Rebecca Miano to ensure KWS and the Wildlife State Department deal with the hyena crisis.
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Governor Wamatangi claimed that the hyenas have killed at least 22 people in Kiambu County.
"Please, Cabinet Secretary for Wildlife, Rebecca Miano, as you step into that new office, know that work is waiting for you, and that department has taken us, the people of Kiambu, back to a place we don’t want to remember. We want to see you and these KWS people take action,” Wamatangi added.
His remarks come after a hyena mauled a five-year-old boy in Juja, Kiambu County on September 4th, 2024.
On September 6, KWS asked the public to limit night movement, dispose of waste properly to avoid attracting hyenas, and refrain from tampering with traps set up for the animals.
Meanwhile, State House advisor Moses Kuria has blamed a 'new species' of hyenas for the recent attacks in Kiambu County.
In a statement on Saturday, September 7, Kuria claimed that historically, hyenas and human beings have peacefully coexisted in the area.
"Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has now identified a new, aggressive species of hyenas that pose a threat to humans," Kuria remarked.
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