Fisherman at Bam Got Beach in Muhuru Bay

By MN Reporter

Residents of Nyakondo,Tagache,Kiburo and Kikongo beaches in Nyatike Sub County want the National Government through Kenya Wild Life Service tocompensate them after hippopotamus continued to cause deaths and destruction of crops.

The residents led by Muhuru Bay member of the county assembly Evron Maira said that hippos have recently killed two people and several others maimed.

The ward representative expressed fear that hippos may killed the entire of the residents if immediate action from KWS is not realised.

He said that large herds hippos come in large numbers especially at night ready to destroy crops and ready to kill any person on their way.

“the latest casulity being one month ago when the animals killed one fisherman on the shores of Nyakondo beach,” he said

Benard Aluki,a resident reiterated that the animals in groups of 20s and 30s come out during the night and early hours of the day and attack the residents who live near the four Lake Victoria beaches and also destroy
crops in the farms.

He said that their cassava, maize and tomatoes farms are the most affected as the hippos frequent to eat and destroy them at night.

He added that they have over the years pleaded to the Government to come out with a lasting solution that will enable them have farms and be food secure in the beaches.

Another resident Esther Achieng, a widow whose husband Ezra Odondi was killed by the marauding animals last month told the press that her four children no longer go to school because she cannot provide for them.

She said that three hippos attacked and drowned him in the lake when he was on a fishing expedition with his brother Kennedy Odhiambo.

The hippos are alleged to have killed two people in a span of one month and many others have been injured and maimed.

The residents now want the Kenya Wildlife Services to come to their rescue and compensate them for the damage to the crops and the numerous deaths that they have caused to them.