A family in Nyacaba village in Juja, Kiambu County is mourning after their nine-year old son was mauled to death by a pack of hyenas on Friday night.
According to residents, the Grade three pupil at a private school in the village was reported missing on Thursday evening as his mother, a doctor, was at work.
His search ended in pain and agony after his blood-stained clothes were found in a nearby bush early yesterday by quarry workers.
Gideon Nderitu, a resident, said some body parts of the boy were also found. He said the boy had a speech disability hence may have been unable to scream out for help when the hyenas attacked him.
Juja Sub-County Police Commander, Phylis Muthoni confirmed the incident, saying they have collected samples of the remains for purposes of conducting a DNA test to confirm whether they are human remains, and belonged to the boy.
“In conjunction with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), we have collected some remains and the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) will invite the members of the family so that we can have a DNA test. Should they match, we will hand over the remains to the family for burial preparations as we wait for the KWS to make arrangements with the family,” she said.
This is not the first time hyenas have attacked and killed residents in the area which is close to the Ol-Donyo Sabuk Game Reserve. Early this year, a 35-year-old man from the neighboring Athi village was attacked in a similar manner by about eight hyenas.
Earlier, two more people had been attacked by the same animals at Witeithie village in Juja and Thika Constituency respectively.
Residents now live in fear and rarely move out of their houses in the evenings, late in the night and early morning for fear of the marauding animals.
Lilian Wambui, another resident counts her husband lucky to be alive, as the animals almost mauled him as he was heading to work on Friday morning.
“On Friday, a pack of seven hyenas almost attacked my husband as he was heading to work. As he saw them approaching, he sounded an alarm and was lucky that some people heard his screams and came to his rescue. These animals are dangerous,” she said.
The residents said they cannot allow their children to go to school early for fear of the animals.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Juja has since cautioned residents to be cautious to avoid such attacks as an amicable solution is being sought.
Meanwhile in Ijara Sub-county of Garissa, four people were on Friday night injured, two of them seriously, when marauding hyenas invaded their homestead in Sagar village of Warsame location.
According to Ijara Sub-County Warden, Mr Adan Alio, the hyenas might have been out to the Manyattas to look for water and food due to the current biting drought that has occasioned the scarcity of the resources.
Warden Alio said the victims were taken by good Samaritans to Masalani Sub-County Hospital and Shamsu medical Centre, a private hospital within Masalani town.
The residents appealed to County Government of Garissa and Kenya Wildlife Services to construct water pans in the wildlife habitat in order to reduce human wildlife conflict.
The residents draw water from Gababa location neighboring Warsame location and Sagar villages in the same area.
They also appealed to the County Government to ensure the Masalani Sub-County Hospital, which is a major health facility in the area, is fully equipped and adequate staff posted to attend to such emergencies and other medical requirement of the residents.
By Muoki Charles and Mohammed Dahir
