By Renson Mnyamwezi
A stray cheetah entered the compound of a health centre in Wundanyi in broad daylight causing panic among patients and medical personel.
The animal entered the compound of Mgange-Nyika Health centre in Wundanyi division, Taita Taveta but was killed before it could attack anyone.
Operations at the hospital were temporarily halted as residents including patients who had visited the facility took available weapons to confront the cheetah and killed it.
Mgange-Nyika-Mwanda ward civic leader Nicholas Nyambu and a former Chief Samuel Chawana said the animal caught residents unawares.
"Health authorities were busy attending to patients when the animal entered into the facility. This forced residents to use all manner of weapons at their disposal and killed the animal," said Chawana.
The stray cheetah had terrorized villagers after it killed scores of goats at Mbale, Wesu and Mgange-Nyika villages.
Taita District warden Constance Mwasho confirmed the incident and said they collected the carcass and took it to Tsavo East National Park.
There has been an increase in human-wildlife conflict after several wild animals moved out of the expansive Tsavo National Park in search of water and pasture due to a dry spell.
