By Obegi Malack
obegimalack@gmail.com
Residents of Ewuaso Kedong in Kajiado West Constituency are living in fear after a herd of 60 elephants raided the area.
The elephants have been damaging crops and breaking water tanks thus creating havoc while looking for food and water after the prolonged drought recorded in the county.
Lucy Lemashisha who is a community leader said that the elephants invaded schools in the area destroying fences and trees thus paralyzing learning.
“We are forced to take our children to school at midday, those that live far from schools do not attend schools,” she said.
One of the schools affected is Ewuaso Kedong Primary School.
Lemashisha who was speaking during Rural Women Network (RWN) training in Ngong said that although they got trainings on alternative source of livelihood such as practicing beadwork and planting crops, some of the crops and trees had been destroyed by the jumbos.
During the raid they involve motorists to hoot to scare them away when they have invaded the area.
The elephants are said to be from Maasai Mara and other conservancies around the area.
“We have been protesting to KWS but when they arrive, they just stay for few hours and leave. They know they are here since they have been fitted with trackers,” she said.
Monika Ndilai who is one of the affected residents said the elephants have been loitering in the area for a while now.
She said that a Naivasha hospital had slapped her with a huge hospital bill after her 24-year-old daughter was injured while running away from the wild animals.
“I have spent a lot of money in Naivasha treating my daughter whose hands got broken running away from the elephants, KWS should relocate them or we shall take action,” she said.
She further lamented that the community had been affected by drought and the little they had remained with had been destroyed by the elephants and yet they had not received any relief food.
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