Marauding hippos are terrorising residents in Kimorori Wempa ward in Maragua, after several check dams in the area got filled up following months of heavy rains.
Area MCA Amos Murigi said hundreds of the residents are held hostage in their homes as the animals were straying in the farms destroying their crops and posing a danger to those venturing near the dams.
Speaking at the Murang’a County assembly while seeking answers on how the animals will be secured, Murigi said it was unfortunate that since November last year the residents have not known peace and have not receive any response from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
“Last year a man was fatally attacked by a hippo that had strayed in his farm. There is also wanton destruction of crops and soon residents will be in dire need of relief food from the government,” Murigi added.
He said before Covid-19 broke out, parents had been forced to accompany their children to and from schools for safety.
“In January and February, day schools could only start at 9 am as parents could not risk lives of their children with the aggressive animals roaming around the dams early in the morning,” said Murigi.
Meanwhile, a County Assembly committee has said there is a shortage of sanitisers in public facilities, despite Murang’a County Government producing 600 litres of the product weekly for distribution.
Health committee chairman Daniel Chege Mwangi said the demand for the product had increased following high levels of preparedness against Covid-19 initiated by health experts in the county.
He was responding to a petition by Elizabeth Mwangi who had sought to know measures taken to combat the spread of the disease in the county.
Mwangi said the county government needed to continue with the fumigation exercise in the markets, to help keep the disease away.
“We have witnessed fumigation exercises in major townships while markets are left out.
It is my appeal to the health department to fumigate the small towns and ensure hand washing tanks are installed in all health facilities,” she said.
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