A bull belonging to Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale Sunday killed its caretaker cum trainer in a tragic incident.
The prized bull nicknamed, Inasio, turned aggressive and killed its longtime caretaker and trainer, Kizito Moi, 46, police said.
Khalwale too confirmed the incident as he mourned the death of a man he knew for many years.
The incident occurred in the bull’s den, with Moi’s body discovered on Sunday, January 28, 2024, displaying severe injuries on the neck, stomach, back, head, and buttocks.
Moi, who had been working for Khalwale for 24 years, was dedicated to the training and well-being of Inasio, the champion of the renowned bullfighting contest in Ikolomani, Kakamega County.
Police arrived at the scene and interrogated Khalwale and other witnesses before picking up the body to the mortuary.
The bull was later killed and the meat shared among locals as per local traditions.
The bull, five years old and weighing 120 kilograms had recently been crowned the reigning champion on January 1, 2024.
Khalwale expressed shock at the rare occurrence, saying that such incidents are rare and recalling the last similar event in Ikolomani that happened 30 years ago.
Moi’s absence during breakfast raised concerns, leading to the discovery of his body in the bull’s den.
“My farm has two sides – the dairy part and the bull. The deceased was purely working on the side of the bull – training it and taking care of its wellbeing. In the morning, he failed to report to work and everybody got concerned. My wife asked his colleagues to check on him from his house.”
“But while they were heading to the house, they checked in the bull’s den and that is when they discovered his body lying in a pool of blood,” said Khalwale.
According to the traditions of the Idakho and Isukha sub-tribes, when a bull participating in bullfighting kills a person, its body parts are shared while the animal is alive.
Participants cut their share and run away until the bull falls dead, and the meat is then distributed randomly.
In line with the tradition, a person who takes care of bulls that participate in the bullfighting contests is usually a bachelor and without children.
Khalwale said he was coordinating with Moi’s family members to give the deceased a decent send-off.
The locals scrambled for the meat from the slain bull.
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