A- 45- year –old herder from Kapluk Village in Baringo North Sub County on Wednesday evening died after being bitten by a deadly black mamba while herding cows in the field.
Haron Kipchumba was bitten on the right thigh while in the company of other herders at 5.pm within Mbwa Kali area along the Kerio Valley as they drove their livestock home.
According to Samson Kibos, a resident, the deceased slided and fell on the reptile which was lying in a bush and it bit him in the right thigh.
When attacked, Kibos said, the deceased screamed attracting the attention of his fellow herders who rushed to the scene and mobilised themselves, some to rush the victim to nearest Kapluk dispensary as others searched for the serpent.
“We tried all we can to rush him to the nearest Kapluk dispensary but it just took 20 minutes before he passed on,” said Kibos.
Confirming the incident Kapluk Senior Assistant Chief, Alfred Cherutich said the late Kipchumba died just 20 minutes upon being attacked as helpless residents tried to rush him to Kapluk dispensary.
Cherutich said he was forced to mobilize a motorbike to transport the body to the dispensary as an ambulance was organised from Barwessa to move the body to Kabarnet county referral hospital mortuary.
The chief noted that cases of snake bites were rampant in the area and urgent intervention was needed from both the county and national governments through provision of Anti- venom vaccines to the health facilities especially those at the lowland parts of the region.
Cherutich said this when he had gone to Kabartonjo police station to report the incident with the killed snake before proceeding to Baringo county Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) station to hand over the exhibit.
In the past two months alone, about five people from Kerio Valley region have been killed by snakes with the latest incident occurring two weeks ago where Benedine Chelanga, a standard seven girl, from Turbel Primary School in Barwesa Ward losing her life after being bitten by a puff adder.
By Benson Kelio/Joshua Kibet
