Governor Wamatangi Vows To Lead Residents In Dealing With Hyena Attacks Themselves
Wamatangi on Tuesday, September 10 expressed that the county administration was fed up with hesitation by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to address the ongoing attacks by the scavengers.
Viral Tea Ke Writer 
In a bid to conclusively deal with the hyena menace that has rocked the Juja area of Kiambu County in recent weeks, Governor Kimani Wamatangi has vowed to mobilise residents to take matters into their own hands.
Wamatangi on Tuesday, September 10 expressed that the county administration was fed up with hesitation by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to address the ongoing attacks by the scavengers.
His tone during a press conference was evident in reaction to unmet promises from the government and various agencies as the death toll from hyena attacks continued to rise.
Declaring that 'enough is enough', Wamatangi decried that "We have no more children or people to sacrifice to these hyenas."
Photo of a group of hyenas. /FILE
According to the governor, at least 20 people have been killed by the marauding hyenas, with most of the deaths occurring in Juja. He vowed to ensure that KWS compensates the victims’ families for their losses.
"We have given KWS our final warning. We don’t want to discuss these matters anymore, we are saying they should come and take action immediately, and not just talk.
“Otherwise, we are ready, and as the Governor, I have said that I will be at the forefront, along with my people here in Kiambu, as we resist. If we don't have the security to ensure that these hyenas aren’t killing people, then we will organize ourselves and say we must protect the lives of our children” said Wamatangi.
Wamatangi sent a plea to Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano to ensure that KWS lives up to the mandate of addressing the hyena menace to its finality.
"Please, Cabinet Secretary for Wildlife, Rebecca Miano, as you step into that new office, know that work is waiting for you, and that department has taken us, the people of Kiambu, back to a place we don’t want to remember. We want to see you and these KWS people take action,” he added.
Read more: Don't Run, Climb A Tree- 8 Tips To Follow When Under Attack By A Hyena
It was Miano herself who on September 6 instructed KWS to relocate all the hyenas from Juja after a five-year-old child lost his life during an attack by one of the wild animals.
She assured residents in the area that KWS personnel are on the ground to ensure no more lives are lost to wild animals and further noted that she authorized 24-hour KWS surveillance in the Juja area to ensure that no other life is lost forthwith.
KWS beforehand expressed commitment to expediting the containment of hyena attacks within Nairobi and its neighbouring counties, which made a resurgence for the first time since earlier this year.
KWS's statement came after the five-year-old child was snatched by a hyena while at a shop with his cousin on the evening of Wednesday, September 4. The attack shook the community, which has seen multiple incidents of hyenas killing residents over the past few months.
The situation saw residents accuse the government of ignoring their pleas for protection. Following the September 4 attack, protests broke out on Thursday, with Juja residents blocking the busy Thika Road and calling on KWS to promptly address the menace.
To address the hyena threat, KWS launched Operation Ondoa Fisi-2 on August 8, 2024, following a similar incident in Juja.
This operation was a buildup on a previous initiative from November 2023 to tackle rising hyena attacks, with no word revealed on where the hyenas that have been terrorizing the residents of Juja originated.
