Residents of Chebocho village in Ainamoi sub-county within Kericho County are spending sleepless nights following the sighting of a giant snake.
The gigantic reptile said to be about 10 feet long has been on the radar of the village for the last four days and
residents have kept a vigil at a tea plantation adjacent to a wood of cypress trees where the snake has coiled itself high up on one of the tree branches.
When KNA visited the scene on Wednesday, a crowd of villagers had milled around the tea plantation trying to catch a glimpse of the huge snake that was high up on one of the cypress trees.
In an interview with the owner of the Tea plantation, Elvis Chepkwony, said he first saw the black reptile on Sunday at around 11am while picking tea with a group of tea pickers.
He added that this was a strange phenomenon as the snake is seen to slither through from one tree to another, and it is rarely seen crawling on the ground, an occurrence that has forced him to seek alternative shelter at a neighbour’s house.
“We first spotted the huge snake on Sunday at around 11am while I was picking tea on my tea plantation together with some of my neighbours. I was alerted when one of us spotted the reptile so long and huge crawling on the ground under a wood of cypress trees before it slithered up a tree, coiling itself on a branch. I fear that the snake may fall on my house which is near the wood of cypress trees, the more reason I moved into my neighbour’s house,” said Chepwkony.
A resident only identified as Newton said the giant snake is always spotted coiled at different tree branches adding the snake’s behaviour has generated fear among those living near the wood of cypress trees.
Confirming the incident, area Assistant Chief, Ezekiel Rop said the matter had been reported to Kenya Wildlife Service.
By Sarah Njagi
