Juja residents block Thika Road after a boy is mauled by hyena
Hyena. Courtesy photo
A section of residents of Nyacaba area of Witeithie in Juja, Kiambu County blocked the busy Thika Superhighway in protest of the horrific death of a four-year-old boy who was snatched by a hyena while shopping with his cousin on Wednesday evening.
The boy and his cousin had been sent to a local shop in the Nyasaba area when the hyena pounced on him.
“The hyena came out of nowhere, grabbed the boy, and ran. By the time people gathered to help, it was too late,” said a resident.
He added that despite efforts to stop the attack, the child died at the scene, his body badly mutilated.
“We want armed officers to accompany us and shoot the hyenas after we flush them out,” an angry resident said.
The incident marks the third fatal hyena attack in the area within a month.
Locals, who have long battled the persistent threat posed by hyenas, are now also calling for immediate government intervention.
Residents outraged by the ongoing attacks blocked both sides of Thika Road at Ndarugo, accusing the government and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) of neglecting the issue.
They blocked the road for hours using boulders as police moved in to address the unrest.
Police were forced to use tear gas canisters to disperse the group amid running battles.
In August, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua vowed to deploy security personnel to the area to deal with the growing threat posed by the animals.
He attributed the increase in hyena attacks to abandoned quarries, which provide shelter for the animals before they strike.
“According to the KWS Director General, the abandoned quarry sites are contributing to the hyena problem. We are deeply concerned about these deaths and will be sending a team to capture and relocate the hyenas. The quarries themselves are also a safety hazard and a breeding ground for mosquitoes,” he said.
His comments followed a plea from Juja MP George Koimburi, who urged the government to act after a 52-year-old woman was also killed by hyenas.
The MP lamented that the wild animals had claimed several lives, including children, in the past five months.
The lawmaker said the wild animals have killed several people, including children, in the past five months.
Earlier this year, 10-year-old Dennis Teya was mauled to death by hyenas in the neighbouring village of Gwa Kigwi.
Locals said they were worried about the safety of their children when schools reopened.
They said the failure of quarry workers to refill excavated areas and clear bush had attracted wildlife straying from nearby national parks.
They said the quarries provided safe breeding and hiding places for hyenas.
Most of the affected areas in Juja South are Nyacaba, Witeithia, Maraba and Kabati in Juja, Kiambu County.
Earlier this year, KWS announced that it had translocated 12 hyenas from Juja to reduce human-animal conflict in the area.
