Residents of Ongata Rongai woke up to the sight of a lion, Wednesday, morning inside a residential area.
The stray lion was spotted by tenants lying on the corridors of residential houses. Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) were immediately alerted of the presence of the lion and responded promptly by rushing to evacuate the lion from the scene.
Ongata Rongai residents flocked to the scene to witness the sight which is becoming a norm in the area. It is unknown how long the lion was in the area but it is presumed to have been prowling the largely populous area in the night before being sighted by residents.
KWS officers dispersed the large crowd from the scene and proceeded to remove the stray lion from the residential area. The lion is believed to have escaped from the Nairobi National Park because of its close proximity to the area.
Residents in Ongata Rongai have said that they live in constant fear of their safety because the lions are getting braver and now stray to residential areas when they escape the National Park unlike in the past where marauding lions stayed close to the proximity of the Park.
Prides of lions from Nairobi National Park have been sighted roaming in residential areas in the past years creating a lot of fear among residents. Residents are now calling on authorities to fence the area between the Nairobi National Park and the residential areas to put a permanent end to the attacks.
Onesmus Nyaoma, Ongata Rongai resident, said they live in fear because wild animals have been roaming near their premises for a long time posing a threat to their lives and safety.
“I do not understand what is going on. The government needs to come out and reassure us of our safety and that of our children. Just recently there was a lion in a school in Tumaini area. It was later spotted in a residential area. We need the Cabinet Secretary to come to Ongata Rongai and talk to us about building a fence and putting security personnel around the park,” he said.
Residents accuse KWS of negligence, claiming that they come to remove the lion when alerted of a sighting only for it to resurface elsewhere later.
By Amy Moy
