Fury as stray dogs maul one more in Eldoret

Residents of Block 10 block the Eldoret-Iten road in protest after a pack of dogs mauled a man to death, May 13. [Kevin Tunoi, Standard]

Irate youth yesterday moved from estate to estate in search of dogs that killed a middle-aged man near Eldoret airstrip.

On Tuesday night, Silas Chelong’o, 37, from Action Estate became the latest victim of the dogs. Angry residents blocked the Eldoret-Iten with burning tyres for nearly three hours and were only calmed down by police officers led by Uasin Gishu County Commander Johnstone Ipara.

“Police are still establishing where the dogs are from,” Mr Ipara said.

He said the Chief Veterinary Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture has been asked to give local authorities the drugs for killing the dogs.

Meanwhile, Mr Chelong’o’s wife Cynthia Chebii narrated the circumstances surrounding her husband's death.

“On the fateful day, it reached 9pm but my husband had not arrived home. The children asked why he had delayed but I couldn’t reach him on phone. It was a shock when I was informed by a village elder that his mutilated body had been discovered lying near the road,” a shaken Chebii said.

Ms Chebii said her husband, a cobbler, was the bread winner and his death had dealt a blow to her and their three children.

Since last year, the dogs have killed three people and 25 sheep in the town.

The 20-odd dogs have caused fear in Block 10, Kiplombe, Hawaii and the latest residential area to be hit was Action estate, barely two kilometres from Eldoret Central Business District. A resident, Fredrick Cheserem said the number of stray dogs have increased after some residents of Block 10 were evicted.

Another resident, Nobert Kipkemboi said the dogs started attac king people and livestock after an abattoir in the area was shut.