Herder found dead in Kwale forest in suspected snake bite
File Image of a Police Car
A 30-year-old man was found dead in Ziwa la Musa Forest, Kinango Sub-County, Kwale County, in an incident suspected to involve a snake bite.
The body of Hajji Adhadi Guyo was discovered at around 9:30am on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, by a herder.
Police said a missing-person report had been made the previous evening before the body was discovered.
The police accompanied by Kenya Wildlife Service officers, visited the scene and identified the body as that of Guyo.
The deceased had injuries on his leg which KWS personnel suspected could have been caused by a snake bite.
The body was moved to Kinango Sub-County Hospital mortuary, where it is being preserved pending a postmortem examination to establish the exact cause of death.
Such incidents have been on the rise amid a campaign to address the menace. Those in the affected areas have been calling on KWS to take action to tame the snakes. KWS lacks the capacity to trace and trap the serpents in the expansive affected areas.
Elsewhere, a 25-year-old man was killed after he was reportedly attacked by an elephant in Alamach area, Isiolo North Sub-County.
The body of Lekilapii Esimit, a resident of Alamach, was discovered lying on a riverbank on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
Police said the man had sustained serious injuries to his back following the suspected elephant attack. Elephant footprints were identified at the scene.
Police together with Kenya Wildlife Service Rapid Response Unit personnel and Crime Scene Investigation officers, visited and processed the scene.
The body was subsequently moved to the mortuary at Isiolo Teaching and Referral Hospital pending an autopsy.
The incident is being investigated as a human-wildlife conflict case.
It is the latest such incident to happen amid a campaign to address the conflict.
The family was advised to file for compensation.
In May 2025, Kenya introduced the third phase of its Human–Wildlife Conflict Compensation Programme, an initiative aimed at addressing these incidents and supporting affected families.
During its launch at Meru National Park, President William Ruto unveiled the innovative Wildlife Conservation Card, a new tool designed to help fund conservation efforts.
“Compensation is justice, but prevention is progress,” Ruto said, emphasizing the need for long-term solutions that benefit both people and wildlife.
“Through the Conservation Card, fencing, and communityâled tourism, we are turning conflict into opportunity,” he added.
Developed in partnership with KCB Bank, the Wildlife Conservation Card is available in three tiers—Platinum (Elephant), Gold (Lion), and Silver (Cheetah).
A portion of every transaction made with the card (Sh10, Sh5, and Sh3, respectively) goes directly to the Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund.
The initiative aims to enable Kenyans and international supporters to contribute to wildlife conservation while fostering economic benefits for local communities.
With this new approach, Kenya hopes to build a future where humans and wildlife can coexist more safely and sustainably.
