A family in Juja, Kiambu County, is seeking justice after their five-year-old son was tragically killed by a pack of hyenas on Wednesday.
The incident marks the third fatal hyena attack in the area within a month.
The young boy, an only child in the family had been sent to a nearby shopping center around 7 p.m. when the attack occurred, police and the family said.
The family is heartbroken by the killing and has demanded justice.
Locals, who have long battled the persistent threat posed by hyenas, are now also calling for immediate government intervention.
On Thursday morning, 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 used tear gas canisters to disperse the group amid running battles.
Last month, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua vowed that security personnel would be dispatched to the area to address 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 by these deaths and will send a team to capture and relocate the hyenas. Additionally, the quarries themselves pose security risks and serve as mosquito breeding grounds,” he said.
His remarks 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 in the past five months, the wild animals have claimed several lives, including children.
The legislator said that in the past five months, the wild animals have killed several people, including children
Early this year, a 10-year-old Dennis Teya was mauled to death by hyenas in the neighbouring Gwa Kigwi village.
Locals said they are worried about the safety of their children once schools reopen in two weeks.
They said failure by quarry miners to refill excavated areas and clear bushes has attracted wild animals that stray from nearby national parks.
They said quarries provide safe breeding and hiding abodes for the hyenas.
Most of the affected areas in Juja South are Nyacaba, Witeithie, Maraba and Kabati in Juja, Kiambu County.
Early this year, KWS said that it has so far trans-located 12 hyenas from Juja, in efforts to mitigate the human-animal conflict in the area.
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