Lion kills girl in night attack in Taita Taveta, injures two people
A lion in the wild. A lion has killed an 11-year-old girl in Dhovuni village in Voi, Taita Taveta County. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The lion attacked her neighbours and later attacked Asha who was outside their house.
- One of the survivors, Michael Nzalu, said he was outside his house when the lion attacked him.
- KWS officers who responded to the attack killed the adult lioness.
A lion has attacked and killed an 11-year-old girl in Dhovuni village in Voi, Taita Taveta County.
The marauding lion also seriously injured two other people in the Thursday night attack.
The dead girl, identified as Asha Mohammed, was a Class Seven pupil at Marasi Primary School.
The lion attacked her neighbours and later attacked Asha who was outside their house.
INJURIES
One of the survivors, Michael Nzalu, said he was outside his house when the lion attacked him.
He suffered serious injuries on his head, hands and chest and has been admitted to Moi County Referral Hospital in Voi for treatment.
“I ran to the house but it followed me inside and started attacking me, my wife and child. We overpowered it but it left me with serious injuries,” he said.
He said the animal jumped out of the house and attacked the young girl and killed her on the spot.
His wife is also nursing injuries in hospital.
LION KILLED
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers who responded to the attack killed the adult lioness that is believed to have strayed from the neighbouring Tsavo National Park.
Residents have raised concerns over frequent attacks by wildlife and accused KWS of failing to address the escalating incidents of human-wildlife conflicts in the county.
Mr Suleiman Mwalili, a resident, said they are now living in.
SLOW RESPONSE
He claimed KWS failed to respond in time to save the situation.
“KWS values wildlife more than humans. I know if an animal had died they would have rushed there in choppers,” he said.
The incident comes a month after a pupil was injured by a buffalo in Ikanga while going to school in the morning.
Mwakingali residents are also counting losses after a stray leopard killed their livestock.
Cases of elephant invasions have also been reported in various parts of the county.
Leaders, including Governor Granton Samboja, have been pushing for a share of revenue collected from Tsavo Park.
The leaders are also planning to petition the national government to convert the park into a game reserve, claiming they are not benefiting from wildlife resources in the county.
